


Orchids from Ashes

by ValhallanRose



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: AFAB Asra (The Arcana), Drama, Female Apprentice (The Arcana), Novelization, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:59:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 83,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24429856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValhallanRose/pseuds/ValhallanRose
Summary: Three years. That's all Zelda has, three years of memory to get by on. She longs for answers, but with the Master she's fallen hopelessly in love with being ever-evasive and the belated investigation into a murder she doesn't even recall, it seems she's getting everything but the answers she wants.But the ties that bind her are complex, ever interwoven, and soon she'll find the loss of her memories are part of a far greater mystery than she could have ever imagined.
Relationships: Apprentice/Asra (The Arcana), Asra (The Arcana)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 26





	1. The State of Dreaming

**Author's Note:**

> This rendition of Orchids from Ashes is a rewrite of the original. I looked back on it, wasn't happy, and I want to improve upon it based on some new ideas and headcanons I have. 
> 
> The original is still up on my page and can be read, but this won't follow the beats of that version identically, so it's up to you if you read it. 
> 
> Either way, thank you for reading this new (and ideally improved) version of Orchids from Ashes, and I hope you enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Chapter Title: The State of Dreaming by MARINA)

It was dark on the other side, but...there was nothing else. There was no pain, no suffering, no Vesuvia - just infinite darkness as far as the eye could see. For some, that oblivion could be comforting, but she could not step into that darkness now. 

Zelda could not let go, not yet, not until she knew Asra was safe and far from the way she’d suffered in the end. 

She lingered in the space between, heart aching for her love as she watched his return to Vesuvia. She felt the fissures growing as he entered the shop, dusty and neglected, his mounting panic clear as that heart’s compass of his led him toward the Lazaret. She could do nothing as he ran through the halls of plague-affected, scarf pulled over his mouth and eyes filled with tears as the compass led him to a small mound of ash among the thousands on the sandy shores of the island.

Zelda broke with him when he shattered into a thousand pieces, sobbing as he dug down, down, _down_ into the earth, down until his fingers were raw and bloody and he had nothing to show for his pain but her blackened skull in his shaking hands. She wept beside him, unable to reach out, to offer him any singular comfort as he mourned, hands passing through him as she tried desperately to embrace him. She had no perception of time in the place beyond, so she could not comprehend how long he remained there, but it had to have been hours before he would return home, her skull clutched close to his chest as blood from his shredded fingers trickled down his palms and wrists. 

She could do nothing for him in the days that followed, nothing when he wept, he screamed, stared into the blackness of the darkened shop for hours on end. She had tried so many times to move things, to do anything to encourage him to at least take care of himself, but nearly all efforts had failed. 

Once, not long after he had received a plea from the Countess - not as the Countess, but as a friend - to join the plague research efforts, she managed to do something for him. 

There was a shawl he’d given her once, years before, that he’d embroidered himself with her Aunt Rowena’s help. It was a pale purple with vibrant yellow sunflowers stitched along the edges, and though they weren’t perfect, she’d worn it at every opportunity since he offered it to her with that nervous blush on his cheeks. 

The night he received that letter, he fell asleep in her favorite patchwork armchair, fire crackling low in the hearth as she quietly set to work. She dug out that shawl, carefully tucked away before she’d gone to the Lazaret, using every bit of energy she had to drape it around his shoulders as he slumbered for the first time in days. It nearly ruined her, but she thought she’d done the right thing when he awoke a few hours later. 

Asra had been confused for a moment, rubbing his thumb over the stitching before he seemed to recognize what it was. In moments, he had the shawl pulled tight around himself, weeping as he buried his face in the ends of it and pressed his lips to the fabric reverently. She felt as if she could truly lay her hands upon his shoulders, wrap her arms around them and kiss the top of his head as she’d longed to do ever since she’d see him walk out that door months ago.

“I’ll go for you,” he had whispered. “That’s why this is here, isn’t it? You’re telling me to go. You wanted to help...you want _me_ to help now, too.”

He lingered there for hours, murmuring his love and his sorrows to the open air, keeping the shawl close even when he felt ready to visit Nadia and take up the research position she had offered. It was the closest thing to an embrace Zelda could offer him, but that was livable - that was enough. She could take solace in knowing she would see him again when his time came to join her on the other side. 

He began to live again, a little more each day, enough for her to feel comfortable enough to rest when a handsome and familiar doctor began to express interest in her beloved magician. She wanted him to be happy, to move on one day - but her fear began to grow as she learned of something darker beneath his slowly brightening exterior.

Asra was trying to bring her back. 

Her heart broke for him all over again with every attempt that failed, every attempt that seemed to drive him further into a shadowy place he didn’t belong, that she knew was the wrong path for him to take. She was afraid for him, fearing he would no longer be the person she knew and loved if he continued this way. She was okay with her fate - she had accepted it, however much it pained her to see him this way - but she couldn’t bear to see him put himself in harm's way.

When the Masquerade came, she felt herself being pulled away, unwillingly toward an unknown place when she knew she had to stay and try to protect him. She had been reading the books over his shoulder as he researched, knew the consequences should this ritual fail, and she clawed and fought and screamed as hard as she could to stay when she thought the other side was calling her into oblivion. 

She did not expect oblivion to look like a lush, rolling meadow that gave way to dense forests as far as the eye could see. 

Zelda sat up slowly, confusion overwhelming before a gentle hand pressed to her forehead from behind. She froze, letting the individual guide her back down into their lap, leaving her face-to-face with a visage she was familiar with. 

The Fool, just like in Asra’s deck, was an animal - a humanoid doe that stared up at the viewer with gentle and bright eyes and offered an extended hand. They were swathed in a simple white gown, loose and billowing on an unseen breeze in the card, but here they were additionally shrouded by a semi-familiar crimson robe trimmed with gold. A crown of wildflowers adorned their head, eyes ever-changing in color beneath the petals and leaves that swung from their floral circlet. The Fool smiled, vibrant emerald meeting ever-changing opal, and Zelda could only describe the expression as utterly saccharine. 

“I wondered when you would come.” They whispered, tucking a flower into Zelda’s curls as she stared wordlessly up at the Major Arcana. “You have lingered a very long time, little flower, so stubborn and strong willed when it comes to watching over your love."

Zelda gaped for a moment longer, eyes burning with new tears as the Arcana continued. “But your time has ended, has it not? Would it not be better to allow him to make his own choices, to allow him to come to you when his efforts catch up to him? To pass to wherever you believe the other side is?”

“His life is not mine to take.” Zelda whispered, her voice somewhat strangled through her tears as she stared up at the Fool. “I want him to live, I want him to be happy, even if that can’t include me. I’ll wait as long as I must if it means I can see him again, but I will _never_ stand by and watch him destroy himself to have that sooner.”

A gentle hand smoothed over Zelda’s jaw, wiping away the tears that had trickled down her cheek as the Fool’s voice took on a more comforting tone. 

“You both refuse to give up on the other...but to act rashly, without any consideration of the consequences, goes against my very nature.” A fond yet sorrowful smile crossed the Fool’s lips, quickly brushed away into that saccharine expression that now didn’t seem to meet their eyes. “I know that this is a painful wound, but I must ask these questions of you before I ask you a favor of my own.”

That gave Zelda pause. The Major Arcana could not lie, meaning that the Fool truly needed Zelda’s help. And she was dead, so what the fuck could she - 

_The ritual._

The Fool nodded slowly, watching the realization dawn on Zelda’s freckled face. “It is not a coincidence I brought you here on this night. You know your Asra plans to use this ritual, but he is not alone in his plans. As the Masquerade marches on, another seeks to gain more than a body for their patron, searching for power they have long planned for. Should they use this power…it will spell disaster for us all.”

Zelda sat up carefully, flowers falling loosely from her hair as she turned to face the Fool. The pair sat together, bodies folded in mirror images of one another as she buried her hands in the thick grass. The earth beneath her fingers grounded her for the first time in months, helping her clear her mind and work through what they had said. 

“It’s another Arcana, isn’t it?” She whispered, watching the Fool’s shoulders tense at her words. “That’s why you won’t say their name, because saying it would draw their attention to what we’re talking about.”

A slow nod, and Zelda rolled her lip between her teeth, an idea striking her like a bell. “What if you wrote the number down? I...I remember the order of the cards, maybe if you tell me that, I can figure out who it is?”

The Fool startled at that, wide eyed, before their expression relaxed into an amused smile. 

“I always knew there was a reason the Magician liked you.” They chuckled as they held back the sleeve of the crimson robe, the grass between them withering and decaying into the dirt rapidly so their finger could scrawl a numeral there. Zelda watched with bated breath as each line took shape, and she took it in for a single moment before she gasped and quickly swept her hand through the dirt to destroy the mark. 

_XV_ ...fifteen. Gods, the _Devil_ was behind this?

A gentle breeze ruffled tawny fur for a few long and silent moments, only broken by the Fool’s quiet voice. 

“The ritual must fail, Zelda. The patron will stop at nothing to gain success, no matter the cost to our realm and the mortal, your home and ours. Their roots already run deep in Vesuvia, since long before this night, but it all comes to a head. Now, you must consider the path before you, to decide where you will go and what role you shall play.”

Picking at the grass, Zelda sighed, her shoulders falling with the weight that began to settle upon them. 

“I’m nothing more than a few wisps of willpower now. This is the most I’ve ever been able to interact with anything.” She murmured, ripping a few strands of grass from the earth and letting them fall from her fingertips. “I nearly discorporated myself trying to interact with the physical world, so what could I possibly do in all this?”

The Fool sighed, leaning back on their hands and stretching their legs out before her - Zelda finding herself somehow surprised by the cloven hooves that peeked out from beneath the billowing white gown. They seemed to mull over the words they wanted to say, eyes closing before the fully dropped back onto the grass. 

“Do you know what the purpose of the ritual is?” They asked gently, and Zelda frowned, feeling compelled to lean over and lay on the grass beside the Arcana. 

“To gain a body, right? That’s what Asra and... _he_ are asking for.” 

The Fool nodded, plucking up a flower from the earth and lazily raising it to her nose to sniff. “Yes, and no all the same. Necromancy is a complex art, Zelda, but even the most adept cannot form a body from nothing. To restore life means you must have a vessel, something to connect a spirit too, and even then things can go awry. But for those with knowledge of the Arcana...the Fool’s body is a guarantee against even death itself.”

Zelda went to speak, but the Fool laid a finger against her lips, hushing her with some urgency. 

“I know you must have many questions, little flower, but we don’t have much time. I need you to understand the paths laid out at your feet before you take the first step.” They smoothly run their fingers through Zelda’s hair, a tingle of magic trickling down her spine that for now erased her curiosities and worries. “My lover has traversed countless realms, seeking out the aid of the rest of the Arcana. Though our common enemy has allies, we outnumber them enough to turn the tides. Tonight we shall conduct our own ritual, and those of us in agreement will turn our magic against his to halt his plans, but...I fear that my continued presence will encourage him to try again."

A gentle hand ran down the side of her face, down her arm, until the Fool could grasp her hand in their own, their fingers twining together before they pressed their interwoven hands to their chest. 

“I want to offer you a second chance, Zelda. Return home, return to your love, live the life you had before as best you can. In turn...protect my body. Keep him from completing his plans, delay him however you can.”

Zelda frowned, feeling soft fur against her palms as the Fool squeezed her hands in their own. “But...what will happen to you if I do?”

The Fool shrugged, their smile bittersweet. “I will carry you until your true time comes. When you pass to the mortal coil, my body will return to where it belongs in the Arcane realms. Time passes differently for us - the years for you can be the blink of an eye here. It is time I am willing to sacrifice for the sake of another. “Then the Fool laughed, eyes bright. “And I’m always a fan of a love story. My partner calls me a sap for it.”

For a long moment, Zelda just took it all in, eyes wide and jaw somewhat slack as she absorbed the Fool’s words. She couldn’t find the words, couldn’t find a way to express everything she was feeling in that moment, but the Fool just laid a hand on her cheek and stroked a thumb over the side of her face.

“Zelda, I know it is so much to ask of you, but I _want_ to offer this chance to you.” Their voice was sweet, words slow, as if making sure she would hear every piece in her shocked state. “The journey back will not be easy - none of us know the consequences this will have in the mortal realm, none of us know what will happen once your spirit weaves its way into my body. But should you take this chance...you will live again. Your Asra, among many, will be safe from the fifteenth’s grasp, and you will no longer be bound to watch from beyond the veil.”

The brunette bit her lip, mind racing as she tried to comprehend this. The Arcana could not lie, meaning that what the Fool offered was the truth - meaning she truly could do something here and now.

She could protect Asra from this, keep him from destroying himself in the process. They’d have another chance. 

But...the plague still ran rampant. Could she really do this to him, knowing that? What if she died again, truly broke him with her death, to a point where no amount of magic could bring him back?

No. She’d convince him to leave, to run like they’d originally argued about, and forget about Vesuvia for now. She’d died trying to help the city once - she couldn’t do that again, knowing what it would do to the people who loved her. 

“This will help?” Zelda finally asked, voice timid. “I can help you by doing this, and I get to go back?”

The Fool nodded, then leaned in, pressing their snout to Zelda’s forehead in a gesture that felt more parental than romantic. “You will be doing so much more than helping us, little flower. And you will go home, just as right as you were before that awful sickness.”

Zelda felt the tears well up then, and she buried her face in her hands as she felt the Fool pull her into a careful embrace. 

She had another chance, even if that life was only temporary. 

“I want to go back.” She breathed, her only thoughts of Asra in those moments. “I want to go _home_.”

Zelda felt the Fool smile more than she saw it, and new magic began to trickle down her spine, washing over every sense and blanketing her in a sense of peace. She felt herself falling into a haze as sweet as slumber, the last sound on her mind being the Fool’s soft voice and sweet giggle. 

“Oh, darling Zelda...your love is such an endearing thing.”

When she awoke again, a clawed hand was wrapped around her throat, nails piercing the skin as she was pulled eye to eye with glowing crimson irises. The fury radiating from those eyes sent chills down her spine, those chills turning to ice as a terrifyingly familiar voice rattled through the depths of her mind and the hand squeezed around her throat.

_I will not forget what you have stolen from me, Fool._

Something burned deep within her, and she screamed, slamming her free hand against the Devil’s chest and blowing him back with a spray of flowers and thorny vines. The clawed hand scraped down the sides of her neck, breaking open the skin and pulling free something that had been carefully tucked away beneath the surface. It was something irreplaceable, but all efforts to claw them back ended in failure as the Devil’s form began to slowly dissipate. 

Like strands pulled from a tapestry, the threads of golden lights were trapped in the Devil’s claws, illuminating the hard lines of his face as she felt herself falling, down and down and down…

_You only delay the inevitable._


	2. No Questions Asked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some snippets made up, some from the new update, some from the last version of the prologue all in here. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> (Chapter Title: No Questions Asked by Fleetwood Mac)

While the waking world was a place of certainty and knowledge to be gained, Zelda took refuge in her dreams, finding blissful sanctuary in the desires she kept close to her chest. 

Sometimes her dreams were of places long forgotten, yet achingly familiar all the same, all forests and stone cottages that smelled like pumpkin and spice as the leaves turned from green to vibrant reds and oranges. But her favorite dreams were of Asra, the kind of dreams that had her clinging to the last threads of them in her waking moments until she realized her face was pressed firmly against his bare chest. 

Gods, _that_ was a way to wake up. She wasn’t one to like laying about all day, but when Zelda found herself sprawled over his chest with his arms wrapped comfortably around her back, there was little that could really convince her to move from that spot. Especially not when he would give her that sleepy little smile from beneath sleep-tousled curls and she could swear that his arms wrapped just a bit tighter before he coaxed her in for another hour of sleep. 

Tonight would not be one of those nights. Instead she’d curled around his pillow, arm tucked under her head and a sweet smile on her lips as she dreamed of him again. 

She dreamt of a kaleidoscopic sky, colors whirling and dancing on the white of his curls as they lay on soft sand. With Asra’s head cushioned atop her arm and their legs tangled together, she pressed into him, giggling over something she couldn’t hear him say as his hand brushed over her cheek. It felt so real, so much so that she could almost feel his gentle touch. It made her feel like something precious as that hand passed through her hair and brushed a few pieces away from her eyes before settling comfortably on the side of her neck. 

_Zelda…_

She leaned forward, nuzzling her nose against his with a schoolgirl smile, giggling as his lips ghosted over her jaw...

_Zelda, I need you to wake up._

A hand on Zelda’s hip shook her gently, rousing her slowly from sleep as another tenderly brushed the stray strands of hair away from her face. She turned away with a grumble, burying her face in a pillow that smelled deeply of lapsang souchong and pine and trying to get back to that oh-so-pleasant dream that was quickly fading from her mind’s eye. 

The mattress shifted as new weight settled onto it, the hand resting instead on her back and rubbing slow circles as Asra’s hushed voice met her ears. 

“Hey...come on, Zel, I know you’re awake.”

She grumbled, wrapping her arms around the pillow and lifting her head just enough for a single green eye to peer up at him. “I don’t want to be. I was having a _lovely_ dream, Asra.” 

Asra chuckled, shaking his head slightly as his hand slipped from her back and up toward her face. He gently combed her hair back from her face as he spoke, smiling as she rolled onto her side with his pillow held snug against her chest. “What were you dreaming of?”

_You. What else?_

“Having a roommate that doesn’t wake me up at night.” With a soft snort, she rolled fully onto her back, swatting him with the pillow as she sat up. She blinked, casting a glance out the window before she groaned and buried her face in her hands at the infinite black beyond the glass. “Gods, what _time_ is it?”

Asra squeezed her knee through the star-patterned quilt, clearly amused as she yawned and rubbed at her eyes with the heels of her hands. “Mm, I don’t know. After midnight, maybe.”

“ _Asra,_ what the hell?” Zelda grumbled, and the magician in question laughed, dropping back onto the mattress and folding his arms behind his head. He breathed out a relaxed sigh, and Zelda smiled a little, reaching out to comb her fingers through his silk-soft curls.

It was then she took him in, _really_ took him in, and her heart sank. Normally at this hour he’d have stripped down to something comfortable - sometimes just a pair of lounge pants, sometimes an oversized sweater and no pants at all. Tonight, he was fully dressed, down to the brightly patterned overcoat and the magenta boots he favored when traveling.

She’d always loved those boots on him - whenever he wore them, the heels made him a few inches taller, tall enough for him to set his chin atop her head on those days she just needed to be wrapped up in his arms and held for a little while. And they made his ass look _fantastic_ , but she’d die before she said that to his face. She’d just...admire from afar. Yeah. Admire from afar and resist the temptation to just grab it and see if it was as squeezable as she thought.

But when he was about to leave? She hated looking at those boots. 

“You’re leaving.” Zelda said after a long moment, the corners of her lips pulling down into a frown as Asra nodded slowly. “You’ve hardly been home since your last trip, Asra…”

“It’s the middle of a moonless night. Ideal time to start a journey, Zel.” He rolled over, settling his head on her thigh as he looked up at her. “I told you I was going, didn’t I?”

Lip caught between her teeth, Zelda looked away before eventually slipping from the bed. She was quiet for a long time, wrapping her favorite scarf around her shoulders and combing her fingers through her hair as she contemplated her response. She surely wasn’t happy - she never liked it when Asra left - but she hated the idea of fighting with him before he went even more. As much as she wanted to argue against it, tell him how much she hated being left behind...it left a foul taste in her mouth. 

So she put on a determined face, turning and planting her hands on his hips with as much confidence as she could muster. 

“Well, I want to spend some time with you before you go. Spare a few minutes for at least a cup of tea?” 

The smile that lit up Asra’s face made her heart melt, and she felt her tension easing as he got to his feet and made his way toward her. Those boots - gods, the _boots_ \- gave him the height to easily lean in and press a kiss to her forehead, lingering for a moment before he practically flounced down the stairs with a call of, “I’ll put the kettle on!”

Zelda watched him go for a moment, then shook her head, amusement pulling at her lips as she glanced toward the mirror. 

“Why do I have this feeling he’ll be in a standoff with the stove salamander when I get downstairs?” She mused, feeling amusement tickle at the back of her mind before she felt the urge to look up toward the top of the mirror. Spotting the lavender serpent draped over the frame, she smiled, offering an arm for her to curl up on instead of the hard edge. “Oh, there you are, Faust. I was wondering where you snuck off to.”

Faust’s tongue darted into the air before she made her way down Zelda’s arm, settling comfortably around her shoulders and nuzzling into her cheek by way of greeting. Zelda kissed the side of her head, then sighed, stroking a hand over the cool scales as she made her way toward the stairs. “One day, Faust, I will convince Asra to leave at a normal hour.”

_Doubt._

Zelda laughed at that, gently tapping Faust’s nose with the tip of her finger. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

In the small kitchen downstairs, Zelda paused in the doorway, a smile pulling at her lips as her temple fell against the frame. 

Asra was humming quietly as he made tea for them both, occasionally slipping the stove salamander a few wood chips and quiet words of praise as the kettle merrily boiled away. She could see the content expression on his face, amethyst eyes bright and face nearly glowing in the warm light of the room. She was just content to watch him for a long, long moment, always somewhat awestruck simply by how lovely he was every time she saw him. 

She had three years of memories, and he’d been there since the very beginning, clutching her close to his chest when she stirred in his arms and burying his face in her hair when she couldn’t recall even something as simple as her name. He’d taught her everything - speaking, reading, writing, and the semi-embarrassing things she was so glad to put behind her - and over time, she’d fallen in love with him, before she even knew what it meant to love. 

But Zelda was terrified of speaking up, terrified of sharing that affection, in fear of his rejection or losing him entirely. 

So she pined in silence, dreading the day she’d have to let him go when he found the right person for him.

“I hope that’s herbal.” She said after a moment, giving him a cheeky sort of smile when he jumped slightly and gave her a wide eyed look. “Otherwise I’ll never get back to sleep.”

“Ah, right, your beauty sleep.” Asra teased, easily gathering himself as he poured a cup for each of them. He offered one to her and Zelda eagerly accepted, breathing in the scent of warm chamomile before she replied. 

“Damn straight. I need it.”

Asra rolled his eyes, shaking his head a bit before sipping from his tea. There were a few beats of pause between them before Zelda sighed, leaning her hip against the counter as she stared down into her mug. She didn’t look up as she asked the question, voice so soft she wasn’t sure he would hear her. 

“Won’t you please tell me where you’re going, at least?” She murmured, her grip tightening ever so slightly on her cup. “I always worry when you leave so suddenly…”

When he sighed heavily, Zelda felt her shoulders drop, comforted only slightly by the light squeeze Faust gave her as he spoke.

“You know the answer to that, Zelda.” He said, voice so gentle even as her stomach turned in upset knots. She opened her mouth to ask another question, but he’d already anticipated it, answering before the words even left her lips. “And no, you can’t come with me, either.”

The huff that left her was a mixture of irritation and frustration, keeping her head down as she willed the burning of welling tears away. It bothered her to no end to be left in the dark like this, to always be left behind, to always be left unaware and to wait like the lovesick puppy she was. 

But another part of her whispered over her frustrations, soothing her worries with assurances that he would tell her when he was ready. He wasn’t obligated to share everything with her, even if she wished for it to be so. 

She took a deep breath and finally looked up, taking in the tension pulling at his shoulders, the tightness of his jaw that hadn’t been there before she’d asked. Resigned to the fact that tonight would not be the night for answers, she offered him a timid smile before she asked him one last question. 

“Can I at least hug you before you go?”

Immediately, Asra set his cup aside, the tension melting away from his shoulders as he plucked hers from her hands. Quietly stepped forward, she leaned into him, arms wrapping around him in a comfortable embrace as Faust looped around their shoulders. She could feel one arm settle around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest as his other hand nestled comfortably in her sleep-tousled hair. As her head laid against his shoulder, his lips pressed to the top of her head ever so gently, making her smile and close her eyes as she gave him a gentle squeeze.

Touch came naturally to them both. For Zelda, it had always been comforting, a way of communicating before she could speak. Not to mention that sharing close quarters meant it was inevitable, and even without her own feelings in the mix, she knew they had an indefinable relationship that was closer than master and student. 

_Squeeze?_

Zelda lifted her head and smiled at Faust’s eager face, stroking a hand along her scales as her body slid along their shoulders. “Yes, Faust. I just needed a good squeeze.”

She felt Faust’s body tighten, making her laugh and smile before she pressed a kiss to the side of Faust's head. “Just like that, sweetheart. Thank you.”

With a bob of her head, Faust quickly made her way down to the counter, taking up residence around each of their still-steaming tea cups to warm herself. Zelda turned her attention back to Asra, looking up at him with a light smile as her fingers idly played with the curls at the nape of his neck. His hands settled loosely on her hips, giving them a gentle squeeze before he spoke up. 

“I’ll bring you back something.” He said, voice soft as he held her gaze. “Anything you like, if you want me to.”

With a mock serious face, Zelda tapped her finger against her chin, mulling over the ingredients they had out in the shop. “We’re running low on powdered aconite and fogwood bark. And elderflower extract, if you can find it, but I know it’s been hard to come by recently.”

Asra nodded, an amused smile on his face as his hands squeezed her hips a little more firmly. “Alright. Anything else? Something...exciting?”

She laughed, tipping her head to the curtains that hung from the doorway of the kitchenette. “The last time you brought something home, it took us _three days_ to put this place back together! And our curtains _still_ change colors when it rains!”

A flush spread across Asra’s cheeks, and Zelda giggled, leaning up to press a warm kiss to his cheek at his pleading look.

“Nothing too outlandish.” Zelda relented, rolling her eyes as his expression turned mischievous, like a cat that just found a cage full of canaries. 

“No promises.”

Zelda poked his chest with the tip of her finger, trying her best to look stern even as she fought off the smile that pulled at her lips. “I’m serious. Faust, will you keep an eye on him?”

 _An eye!_ Faust nodded from the counter, and Asra groaned playfully, reaching out to pick her up and loop her around his shoulders. 

“What, so I get a babysitter now?” He teased, smiling as the serpent pressed her nose to his. “I suppose I could be stuck with worse.”

Zelda snorted, brow lifting as she picked up her mug again. “Oh, please, the two of you get into plenty of trouble. Don’t act like you won’t get up to something while you’re away.”

She was met with matching expressions of feigned innocence, and Zelda’s brows rose nearly to her hairline as she looked between them both, then winked cheekily at Asra. “The time you got your hand stuck in a jar of blue-tongued skink really begs to differ.” 

“That was _one time_ , and I was trying to get a snack for Faust!”

Zelda smiled behind the rim of her teacup, making a sound of disbelief as she took in the embarrassed flush spreading across his cheeks. He reached out and playfully pinched her nose, making her laugh and swat at his hand before she leaned back against the counter with a sobering sigh. 

“You know I’ll miss you, Asra.” She said quietly, her gaze dropping down into the near-empty cup of tea. “I just...I hope you find whatever it is you’re searching for soon.”

There’s a moment of quiet before she heard fabric rustling, as if he was digging in his pockets, and one golden hand carefully plucked her mug away again so he could take her hand in his own. Palm cradling the back of her hand, he carefully laid a silk-wrapped bundle upon it, then rested his other hand atop the bundle in question. 

She lifted her fingers slightly, brows furrowing as she felt the firm edge beneath the soft silk, then shooting upward toward her hair as she realized what he’d given her. 

“Your tarot deck?” She breathed, heart in her throat as he nodded. “Asra, I can’t...I can’t take this. This is _yours_.”

Zelda knew the significance of his deck. He’d made it himself by hand, illustrating every card and imbuing it with his own magic. It was what separated him from the common charlatan or con artist in the marketplace, what had helped Asra earn his renown as an adept fortune teller. And for him to leave it behind...it sent a whirlwind of thoughts through her head. 

“You can, and you will.” He said, voice firm yet sweet as he clasped her hand between his. “I want you to hold onto it until I come home. You’ve been practicing so much with them, and I think it’s time you tried on your own.”

With a sigh, Zelda laid her hand over his, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. This...definitely felt more like a lesson than a normal conversation. 

“You really think I’m ready, Master?”

Asra’s pale brow arched before he frowned, shaking his head slightly. “You’re still calling me that...but you know I can’t answer that for you.” His hands squeezed hers gently, a soft smile pulling at his lips. “You’ve made incredible progress, Zelda. You connect with the Arcana as easily as I do, can read them almost as well as I can. There is little more I can teach you - but do you think you’re ready?

Zelda felt her cheeks warm as she looked down at their clasped hands. Asra had such a unique way of easing her worries, of settling her mind, but perhaps that simply was a result of the equally unique bond they shared. 

Slipping her hands free of his, she raised the deck, smiled almost cheekily as she looked up at him. “Maybe we can ask the cards?”

She was met with a wide, genuine smile and Asra’s arm hooking through hers, guiding her to the back of the shop where his reading room was tucked away. 

“Excellent suggestion. It has been a while since we practiced.” He mused, pulling back the heavy velvet curtain as they passed through it. When they both settled, Zelda carefully unwrapped the deck, thin cards easily sliding through her hands as she mulled over his words. They pass one, two, three times through her fingers before the words on her mind escaped her, laced with something bitter and sorrowful she couldn’t hold back. 

“Because you’re always gone?”

Zelda missed the way his face twisted before becoming unreadable again, schooled into careful indifference as he outwardly took the statement in stride. “Maybe. Perhaps someday you’ll find a real teacher that isn’t gone so often, but I’m here now. Let me see how powerful you’ve become.”

He playfully wiggled his brows, and Zelda blushed, waving a hand dismissively before she carefully spread the cards over the table. 

She was used to his teasing, the constant commentary as to how powerful or gifted she was, but somehow it always flustered her. Secretly, she loved the little compliments he gave, even if she thought it was just flattery. 

Asra reached across the table, tapping a single card with a blue-painted nail for Zelda to turn over. She glanced up at him briefly as she did, ears warming at the intensity of his gaze, elbow propped on the edge of the table and his chin resting in his other hand. 

Zelda quickly looked down, her attention drawn to the owl-face of the card staring back up at her. “The High Priestess, reversed.” She whispered, closing her eyes and letting out a deep breath through her nose to help clear her mind. 

The High Priestess’s voice was a whisper, and though she did not speak in any particular language or words like the rest of the deck, she could convey feelings and ideas with such clarity that Zelda found it hard to ignore. 

“You’ve forsaken her.” Zelda murmured, lifting her gaze to meet Asra’s wide eyes as words not her own tumbled from her lips. “You have lost touch with your intuition, closed your mind to the mysteries of the world in favor of what you already know. But...she wants you to know that the answers to the questions you don’t wish to ask are within your reach. All will be revealed when you no longer bury her voice, welcome her back and answer her calls.”

She felt compelled to reach out, laying her hand over his where it rested on the table. “Master, if you don’t listen to her…”

A sharp knock at the door interrupted them both, Asra snatching his hand back as Zelda quickly gathered up the cards spread across the table. 

“Did you forget to put the lantern out again?” Asra teased gently, seemingly recomposed as he helped her tidy up. “It’s just as well. I should be going.”

Zelda sighed, knowing he was right, but still not wanting him to go. She stepped into his open arms, holding him close for a moment before he leaned back and settled his hands on her shoulders. 

“Take it easy while I’m gone, alright?” He murmured, one hand shifting to cup the side of her face. She leaned into the touch, closing her eyes as he continued. “Please don’t push yourself too hard. The last thing I want is…”

“...for me to have my headaches when you’re gone. I know. You just put a fresh batch of tonics up for me if I need them, next to the tea in the kitchen cabinet. They taste like death, so I can mix a bit of honey in if I take them in with my tea, but don’t touch the raspberry leaf because it’ll mess with the effectiveness of the tonic.” Zelda opened her eyes and laid her hand over his, a playful smile on her lips. “I’ll be _fine_ , Asra. You worry too much.”

The smile he gave her was sheepish, but he nodded, thumb stroking over her cheek so lightly Zelda wasn’t sure if he realized he was doing it. “I know, but...humor me. Promise me you’ll stay safe, Zelda. Promise me you’ll be careful.”

With a playful roll of her eyes, Zelda nodded, a smile pulling at her lips despite the fact that this could easily be the thousandth time they had had this conversation. “I promise, Asra.”

“Thank you. _Now_ I can set out with a lighter heart.” Asra’s hands smoothed down the back of her neck, tipping her head forward so he could lay a kiss upon her forehead. She smiled and closed her eyes, feeling him linger for a few long moments before he pulled away. 

Zelda turned her attention to Faust, giving her a cheeky wink when the familiar perked and stretched out for her own goodbye affection. 

“Make sure he gets back in one piece, okay? You’re the only one he’ll listen to, and we both know he’ll run himself into the ground unsupervised.” She whispered somewhat loudly, hearing Asra snort before she pressed a smacking kiss against the top of Faust’s head. “Alright, now both of you, get out of here before someone breaks down our door. 

As if in answer, the person knocked again, and Asra laughed before hurrying to the back door at Zelda’s insistence. For a moment, he pauses as if he still had something to say, but he shook it off before Zelda could ask and donned his hat. Scarf wound around his face, he tipped the brim down and lifted the curtain aside with one hand. 

“Until we meet again.”

And with that, he was gone, leaving Zelda alone in the shop for hardly a moment before the visitor knocked again, this time far more urgently than before. 

“Oh, alright, alright, I’m coming.” Zelda grumbled, tugging the scarf tighter around her shoulders and blowing a piece of hair out of her eyes. “I swear, I’ve half a mind to lock the door…”

Placing a hand on the door, she took a deep breath, forcing a smile onto her face and mustering the patience of the person on the other side. She couldn’t say no to a customer, but by gods, the hour...it seemed that Zelda would not be sleeping for a long while yet. 

She quickly tugged on the handle, offering the figure on the other side a smile before opening her mouth to speak, but their dulcet voice beat her to it as they slipped inside. 

“Forgive me for the late hour.” They murmured, lowering their meticulously wrapped scarf to their shoulders as the faint scent of jasmine perfume filled the air between them. “But I cannot suffer another sleepless night.”

At the sight of the visitor, Zelda’s heart leapt into her throat, realizing that she nearly slammed the door in the face of the Countess of Vesuvia. 

The Countess of Vesuvia was standing in the Honeypot Herbalist, of all places, looking for all the world troubled and weary. 

“You are Zelda, yes?” She asked, and the silence stretched a few moments too long before Zelda realized she was staring at the Countess in disbelief. 

Her visitor’s lips twitched up in amusement before she spoke again, voice gentler than before and her eyes somewhat mischievous. “You needn’t be alarmed. I am here for no more nefarious purpose than to beg for your assistance.”

Zelda could do no better than look around the shop, as if there was somehow another Zelda there, then point to herself in silent confusion.

The Countess nodded, lips twitching upward further before Zelda quickly cleared her throat and put on a cheery smile. 

“Well, you’ve come to the right place!” She said, watching her visitor’s shoulders relax ever so slightly.

“So I’m told. Your reputation precedes you...beggars and nobles alike, the people of this city whisper your name. Though in my dream, you were...different.” 

Zelda paused at that, tilting her head in confusion. “Dream?”

The Countess hesitates for a moment before nodding, ever careful in her choice of words. “A dream, yes. Mine are...often haunted by visions. Tonight, a particularly dire portent shook me from sleep.”

Zelda had read about prophetic dreams, but...to meet someone who experienced them...she had about a thousand questions. But she bit her tongue, listening closely as the Countess continued.

“It was your face I saw as I awoke. Your name on my lips.” She pauses, gaze sweeping across the crammed shelves, the glass display case, her expression somewhat less than enthused. “I do not often consult magicians. Too many are mere charlatans who peddle false miracles to earn gold from a crowd desperate for answers to what they cannot comprehend. But you...you are different, somehow.”

The Countess blushed - actually blushed - before quickly clearing her throat. “Hear out my proposal, Zelda. That is all I ask.”

That seemed simple enough...if unusual. But something else bothered Zelda.

“Would you like some tea?” She said, already half turned to duck back into the kitchenette. “The kettle’s still warm. I have a lovely chamomile my Master brought back not too long ago that might ease your mind.”

The Countess seemed startled, but a faint smile played at her lips as she nodded. “Please, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“Hardly, we drink it like they do wine in the upper districts.” Zelda laughed, gesturing to the plush armchair near the fireplace. “You’re welcome to take a seat, but that’s probably the comfiest chair in the house. I would know, I’ve slept in it a few times.”

From the kitchen, Zelda could hear fabric rustling, then a quiet ‘Oh!’ that made her smile as she quickly set to brewing a new cup for the Countess. Thankfully, the kettle was still warm, so it only took her a few moments to reemerge with a new cup for them both in each hand. 

She settled into the armchair across from the Countess, fireplace flaring to life with a little bit of focus as she handed the cup to her visitor. 

“So, about that proposal?” She prompted gently, and the Countess nodded, relief written on every curve and line of her face as she sipped from her cup. 

“I would like you to come to the Palace, as my guest. You will, of course, be afforded every luxury your heart may desire. I only ask that you bring your skills with the Arcana to assist me in a...sensitive matter.”

She draws a deep breath, determination clear in her eyes. “That is, the investigation into the murder of my late husband, Count Lucio.”

Zelda choked halfway through a sip of tea.

Did she hear her right?

Spluttering, she held up a hand, waving the Countess’s concern away as she set the cup down. It took a few moments, but she composed herself, and the Countess slowly eased herself back into her seat before continuing once Zelda could breathe normally again. 

“As I’m sure you know, his death remains a mystery after three long years, given his killer is still at large. And...I am afraid that rumor and hearsay has blocked my attempts to find the truth on my own.” She fixed a thoughtful gaze on Zelda, ruby meeting emerald, as though her presence alone could bring the Countess the answers she so desired. “When he lived, my husband was quite fond of revelry. His birthday Masquerade was...particularly notorious. A riotous revelry for all in Vesuvia. But at the height of the last Masquerade, he was murdered in his own bedchamber. Consumed by flames, or so it is said.”

“So it is said?” Zelda echoed, her gaze following the Countess’s to the flickering fireplace between them. Her voice lowered, so hushed Zelda had to lean in to hear her properly. 

“I have reason to suspect that there is more to the story. A darker truth hidden beneath the surface.” 

Zelda bit back the urge to wince as the space between her eyes burned, like a red-hot poker had been pressed against the skin, and a single thought became present in her mind.

 _Fifteen. Fifteen._ **_Fifteen._ **

She rubbed the bridge of her nose, attempting to dispel the discomfort that began to slowly fade, half listening as the Countess continued. 

“...a skilled magician might help me bring that truth to light. That _you_ might help. For the good of Vesuvia as a whole, and for my own peace of mind.”

She sounded so confident, so certain of what she wanted, and yet the dark circles under her eyes told Zelda a different story.

“Of course, Countess.” Zelda murmured, lowering her head in a respectful bow she could manage from her seat. “It would be an honor to be of service to you.”

Not to mention the fact that Zelda just couldn’t say no. She’d sought her out in the dead of night, clearly desperate enough to come searching no matter the hour. How could Zelda turn her away?

“My, my.” The Countess chuckled, looking down into her still steaming mug of chamomile. “SO obliging. I deeply appreciate your aide, Zelda.”

With a fond smile, she quickly drained her cup, setting it aside on the table between the two armchairs. “Do you know your way to the Palace?”

Zelda shrugged, nursing her cup at a slower pace. “Generally. Hard to miss, at the top of about seven thousand steps…but I don’t know the exact route. I’ve never had cause to go.”

“Six thousand, eight hundred and eighty four.” Nadia chuckled, nodding as she leaned back in the chair. “Very well. I shall arrange for an escort. Make your way to the marketplace tomorrow morning, and Portia, my most trusted servant, shall meet you there.”

After a few beats of pause, she lifted her shawl, winding it around her face once more before she crossed to the front door. 

“Ahem.”

Zelda scrambled to her feet, quickly pulling open the door for the Countess with her face burning. Thankfully, she almost looked...dare she say it... _amused_ by Zelda’s behavior. 

The Countess smiled, taking Zelda’s empty hand and raising it to her lips carefully. 

“Pleasant dreams, Zelda.” She murmured, then pressed a chaste kiss to her knuckles before gliding out the door and into the night. It left Zelda standing there, hand still upraised, scent of jasmine in the air as she tried to process the entirety of what had just occurred. 

“What the fuck?” She muttered, staring out at the point where the Countess had disappeared into the misty night. 

The Countess of Vesuvia came to her shop, asked her to investigate not just any murder, but her _husband’s_ murder...

Zelda turned, mulling it over as she carefully blew out the lantern hanging over the door and stepped back inside. For all that talk of skill...perhaps she had been looking for Asra? But she had asked for her by name, claimed she saw her face in her dreams…

Sighing, Zelda left the dirty mugs in the kitchenette’s wash basin, deciding to leave them for morning wash so she could return to the blissful comfort of her bed. 

When she laid one foot on the stairs, she heard the floorboards creak, making her pause before a harsh yet somehow muffled voice reached her ears. 

“Strange hours for a shop to keep.”

Her head swiveled, looking out into the darkened shop for the source of the voice, heart racing as she realized she could not see them. Her eyes chased every flickering shadow, searching, hoping it was just a trick of the mind…

“Behind you.”

Zelda whipped around, spotting a great shadow silhouetted against the stained glass window at the front of the shop. 

“So...you must be the witch’s apprentice.” They purred, as if their mere presence didn’t have the hair on the back of Zelda’s neck standing on end. Her heart raced faster as they advanced, and she quickly tried to move away from the stairs to at least keep her from getting pinned on the upper floor with no escape. 

Long legs carried them closer, and she panicked, calling magic to her fingertips and throwing a thick spray of what she faintly recognized as rose petals at the stranger as she scrambled away. 

“Ah ha! En garde, then!”

The intruder ducked, cape swirling with an outrageous flourish. Frantically, she slid over the polished glass display on the counter, hand wrapping around the neck of a bottle of champagne Asra had gotten for her birthday - that was _supposed_ to be a surprise, but he was awful at hiding.

_Sorry, Asra._

“I’ve seen magic tricks before, You can’t surprise -”

With all her strength and an extra bit of magic, Zelda launched the bottle at the intruder’s head. It connected with their beaked mask with a sickening crack, making them shout as they hit the floor and the bottle shattered into dozens of pieces. 

The mask clattered to the floor among the broken glass and spilled champagne, soaking the stranger as they clutched a hand to their now bleeding forehead. 

...you do have guts.” They muttered, lowering their hand and sniffing at the liquid that dampened their dark clothes. Thick brows lowered, and they looked up, expression somewhere between horrified and incredulous. “Did you really hit me with a bottle of _Golden Goose_?”

Meeting their gaze, Zelda felt her racing heart stop. 

She knew their gaze. It was on wanted posters all over the city...but the name eluded her completely. Zelda watched as he slowly wiped the blood off his face, single eye meeting hers for a moment before the words tumbled from her lips unbidden. 

“What do you want from me? How did you even get in? The door wasn’t forced, I would have heard it, and I definitely locked it…”

The stranger merely gives me a wry smile. “All fair questions, but let’s start with the first.”

A few carefully placed movements among the glass, and they rose to their full height, towering easily a foot over her head and making her lean away uncomfortably. 

“I want you to read my fortune.”

Zelda stared for a long moment, then frowned, folding her arms across her chest. “You broke into my shop...just to have your fortune told?”

She watched with some mild amusement as their face flushed and they scratched the back of their head. “Well, when you put it that way...yes, it does seem a touch absurd.” Ears still burning, they pointed to the back room, half visible through the parted curtain. “That room is for reading fortunes, isn’t it?”

Zelda raised a brow, arms still folded. She’d never seen this man, not as far as she could recall…

Which wasn’t very far. 

Maybe Asra had done a reading for him in the past?

“I don’t have much time.” They say, tone somewhat impatient now. “Read my fortune, and I shall leave you in peace. You have my word.”

Zelda felt the gentle pull at the back of her mind, just as the cards would do when they wished to speak, and sighed heavily. If they were that insistent on telling her something...well, she wouldn’t ignore it. 

“Fine. Fine, I’ll read your fortune. But you don’t get tea, that’s for patrons who come during respectable business hours.” 

She vaguely heard her visitor snort as she passed them by, whipping open the curtains and not waiting for him to follow as she settled into her preferred seat at the table. They dropped into the one opposite, lanky form looming over the table like some sort of carrion bird over a dying rabbit. 

“I don’t know your name.” Zelda said quietly, lifting the deck from where it sat on the table and carefully shuffling the cards as she watched their face.

One blue eye went wide, as if surprised by that admission. “My name?”

Zelda just nodded, half focused on the cards as they passed through her fingers. “For your reading. I need to know your name.”

They flushed, clearing their throat and awkwardly fidgeting with the fringes on the tablecloth. “Oh. Ahem. I thought you knew...er, yes, of course. Call me Julian. And you are?”

“Zelda.” She paused in her shuffling, extending a polite hand to Julian. “Miss, mister, mx…?”

They chuckled, taking her hand and shaking it gently. “Ah, Zelda. Lovely name, musical name really. _Zelda_. And mister, I suppose, but I insist you just call me Julian. ‘Mister Julian’ dates me nearly ten years, and I’m not quite there yet.”

She couldn’t help the snort of amusement that left her at that, and Julian’s grin broadened before he gestured to the table between them. “Go on then, Zelda. No need to be shy.”

Zelda nodded, quickly resuming her shuffling, feeling his eye track every motion of the cards until she laid them out on the table. “Draw three.” She murmured, hearing the leather of his glove creak as he carefully pulled each card from the line before him. 

Tucking the others away, she turned the first, smiling at the rainbow of colors upon the Ten of Cups. 

“You had a largely happy childhood.” She began, tracing her fingers idly over the gold leafing. “Family and loved ones who gathered around you, cared for you with all their hearts, filling your own with the same sense of contentment they shared. They were days of love, warmth, and good company that left you feeling whole as you grew.”

“I already know my past.” Julian grumbled, reaching for the last card of the three. “I’d like to know my future - ouch!”

Zelda had smacked the back of his hand, one finger pointed directly in his face in a rather accusatory manner. “You break in and demand a reading, you abide by how I do this reading. Now shut up and let me focus on the cards before I break another bottle on your face.”

Julian raised his hands in surrender, stifled laughter clear as Zelda lowered her gaze back down to the cards spread in front of her, turning over the Five of Swords as it began to whisper.

“For all that love and joy...you were not immune to the hardships of the world. Conflict comes easier than peace, and you have experienced much of it in recent times. But there is no weakness in laying down the sword, no shame in admitting defeat when the time calls for it. All fights must end, one way or another.”

She glanced up, waiting for an interruption, but Julian seemed intently focused on the last card. Both elbows were pressed to the surface of the table, chin resting on folded hands as that single eye watched her turn the final card. 

“Death.” Zelda murmured. “They reap what has run its course -”

Before she could finish, Julian interrupted, sounding incredulous. “Death?” His lips curled up into a bitter smile, a huff of laughter escaping him. “ _Death?_ ”

With a bark of laughter, he turned his eyes away from me and the cards, pushing out of his chair to stand. “Death cast her gaze on this wretch and turned away. She has no interest in an abomination like me.”He stepped out without a backward glance, and overcome with confusion, Zelda followed at his heels. 

“Wait! That’s not what death means, it’s - 

But Julian heaves a heartfelt sigh, shaking his head. “No, no, no need to explain. My fate is sealed. Still, you’ve been hospitable, so I’ll honor our bargain.”

He lifts his mask from the floor, staring into the glassy red eyes.

“Do be careful, Zelda. There are forces at work that threaten to pull Vesuvia under. Try not to drown.”

She huffed, kicking at a few scattered petals and setting her hands on her hips. “What does that even mean?”

After giving her a long, hard look, he merely fixed his mask in place. “The hour is late, and I’m out of time. Don’t be so surprised the next time I call on you.”

With a swirl of his cape, he throws the front door open, and it slams shut behind him as he too disappears into the fog. 

Zelda threw her hands in the air with an exasperated sigh, setting to work on cleaning up the shop floor with her thoughts swirling like a brewing storm. 


	3. The Outsider

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Chapter Title: The Outsider by MARINA)

In the few hours of sleep Zelda managed to take for herself, she found herself once more in the landscape of her dreams.

She walked alone in a darkened corridor, the gauzy white fabric of her dress dancing on an unfelt breeze and the marble floors cold on her bare feet. For as long as she wandered, the hall never seemed to change, nor did the taste of ash in her mouth or the feeble rays of light that leaked from the edges of a door at the very end of the hall. 

There were answers behind that door. Whispers of the past, just beckoning to her, _begging_ for her to step beyond the frame and find them for herself…

 _“A guest?”_ A voice whispered, and Zelda jumped, gaze darting up and down the hall to find its source. All she could find were ruined portraits, eyes slashed apart by claws too big to belong to any animal Zelda could think of.

She approached one slowly, surprised when she could truly feel the ridges of oil paint long since dried as she laid a hand upon the canvas. Her hand moved upward, careful not to snag and damage the painting more than it already had been as she found the torn edge. Zelda lifted it slightly, easing it back into place to reveal stark silver eyes unlike any she’d ever seen. 

A soft hiss escaped her as her eyes began to burn, unable to blink or even look away as those silver eyes pierced into her own. Warmth began to grow on the back of her neck, radiating heat like a dying ember as she finally ripped her gaze away and her attention turned to the door at the end of the hall. 

It was closer now. From appearance alone, she could tell it was important - rich and heavy mahogany she knew wasn’t native to Vesuvia’s forests, carved with scenes of trees laden with pomegranates and dogs chasing deer through the boughs that hung low. 

Zelda needed to see what was in that room. She had to, if for no other reason than to sate her curiosity and end this dream in favor of more pleasant ones. 

_“Ah...could you be…?”_

The unseen tips of razor sharp claws brushed against her cheek, making Zelda freeze in mid-step. The canvas fell from her hand, rolling back down and concealing those eyes from sight once again. 

_“You want to know. And I want to know you…”_

The feeling of warmth grew, air crackling with energy as Zelda took a slow step forward. The voice answered with a soft and somehow pleased chuckle, the claws shifting so their palm instead could rest against her cheek. Thumb against her chin, her head was tilted up, and a gentle breath cascaded across her lashes as her eyes fell shut. 

_“Come. Stay with me.”_

The palm slid down the side of her face, around to the back of her neck, cradling the base of her skull as the claws traced a delicate pattern on her scalp. Zelda felt a tremble roll down her spine at the feeling of fur against her bare shoulder, as if the arm attached to that unseen hand was swathed in the softest pelts. A hot breath passed over her ear as they chuckled, their careful touches making her fight the urge to melt into a puddle on the marble floor. 

“Who are you?” She whispered, eyes slowly opening as if she could find the source of the voice in the twisting shadows. But she was left empty handed, save for the wistful sigh that passed over her skin. 

_“No one. No one…”_ They whispered, presence so close she could nearly feel the furs tickling her nose. _“Not like you.”_

Without warning, the world dissolved into swirling red mist, thick and heavy and nearly drowning out the whisper of that unknown voice. 

_“You’ll come back to me…”_

Zelda whimpered, sinking to her knees, grasping at her head as every word sent jolts of pain into her skull. 

_“You’ll all come crawling back in the end. Soon…”_

The voice gasped, as if choked off, faded, and the world melted into darkness…

Zelda jolted upright in bed with a gasp, heart hammering and skin clammy as she tried to catch her breath. The sheets were damp with her sweat, making her grimace as she peeled them back and made her way into the bathroom. 

Splashing a bit of water onto her face, she took a deep breath in, gazing down into the wash basin as she tried to steady her still shaky breathing.

These kinds of dreams weren’t uncommon by now, not the kind that had her waking in a cold sweat and gasping for every lungful of air she could get. She’d had them for a long time, beginning perhaps a year after her first memory, maybe beyond the haze that clouded her mind. Zelda had tried every tea blend in their cupboard, every sleeping remedy they had - dreamcatchers, potions, incense, charms - and nothing helped. 

Well, that wasn’t right. 

Zelda would never tell Asra, but the only thing that truly kept those dreams at bay was his presence - and in turn, her dreams were of him, blissful sanctuary against the storm that would grow and grow until she was alone again. 

But this one was new. She’d dreamt of opalescent eyes, searing pain in her throat, whispered words from dozens of voices she couldn’t begin to identify, but nothing she could remember so vividly when she came to consciousness. Now she could recall the heat of someone else’s breath on her skin, oiled canvas under her fingertips, every flickering shadow in that dark corridor that seemed familiar and strange all at once. 

Sighing, Zelda lowered her head, mulling it over as she slowly washed up and dressed for the day. 

Her thoughts began to turn away from her dream and toward Asra when she pulled her favorite scarf from where it was tucked away in the dresser - navy blue, patterned with vibrant yellow lemons and springs of green leaves.

He’d brought it back for her weeks ago, all smiles as he wrapped it around her shoulders and told her it looked just as lovely as he thought it would on her. Zelda had melted, even more so when he leaned in and pressed a kiss between her brows before he slipped upstairs to put his cloak away. 

As soon as he’d vanished from sight, she couldn’t resist lifting the corner to her nose, a smile pulling at her lips as she realized it smelled too much like him to have been simply tucked away in his bag. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d worn it a few times, regardless of the fact that it went with none of the clothes Asra was wearing at the time. When it came to a new scarf, he didn’t care - he had to wear it, be it hers or his. No scarf was sacred in his opinion. 

Her chest squeezed - not painfully, but familiarly - as Zelda buried her face in the fabric once again and heaved a sigh. His scent still lingered after all the times she’d worn it, making her cheeks warm as she quickly pulled the scarf away from her face and tucked it around her shoulders. 

“Come home soon.” She whispered, words carrying into the otherwise empty bedroom. “I miss you already.” 

Only silence answered, and Zelda groaned, rubbing her temple with one hand. “Gods, what am I _doing_ ? Pining after him like a schoolgirl…and talking to absolutely nothing like he can hear me. _Great_.” 

The brunette grumbled for a bit longer, tugging her pants up over her hips and pulling her boots up her legs with a bit more force than necessary in her self frustration. The scarf was knotted at her hip, blouse smoothed out over her breasts and stomach, and she wrestled with her hair for a few moments before she let out a sound of satisfaction. 

Bag on her hip and keys in hand, she made her way out of the shop, rolling her eyes as she had to lean her whole body into the front door to get it to shut. She nearly fell to the cobblestones once it settled into the frame, catching herself and glancing over each shoulder - grateful nobody saw that as she quickly dusted herself off and fitted the keys into their locks. 

But three locks still left her paranoid, especially after last night’s sequence of events. She laid her hand upon the door, whispering a quiet incantation for the cross-me-not spell Asra had taught her long ago. White whorls of magic rose in answer, gleaming as they spread throughout the grains of sturdy oak. Zelda watched until every last trace of the light vanished, then tried the door, making sure it was secure before she finally felt that the shop would be alright. 

She took in the dense morning mist, ethereal in the way it made the street seem aglow with an otherworldly presence...and then she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. 

Zelda glanced around, searching for that undeniable presence that was simply too close for her to ignore even as her gut screamed at her to look away. 

_There._

In the darkness beyond the corner of the shop, she realized that the massive form she thought was a shadow was actually a person. They stood between her and the path she needed to take to get to the market, entirely concealed by their shroud, leaving her stuck in place as she considered what to do. 

Deciding to lean on the side of caution, Zelda carefully sidestepped the figure, feeling a touch of relief as they took one large step away from her as she approached. But she chanced a glance upwards, curiosity overwhelming, and froze as she met stormy green eyes. For a long moment, they held each other’s gazes, the trance only broken when the stranger spoke in a voice so deep Zelda thought for a moment it would knock her over. 

“You’re in grave danger.”

Senses filling with the scent of myrrh, Zelda tilted her head, listening to the gut feeling that she should listen to their words. 

“He will return, uninvited. He will offer you a gift, when you need it most… Turn it away. Or you will fall into his hand… Just like the rest of us.”

Without warning, they shuffled away, taking with them the sounds of moving fabric and chains dragging on the uneven cobblestones. Zelda could only stand and watch them go, too baffled by the appearance of a third stranger in less than forty-eight hours to ask what they could have possibly meant by ‘he’. Maybe Julian…?

A tingle spread from behind her eyes to the back of her head, and her brows furrowed. 

Was she just...talking to someone? What was she doing?

Shrugging, she brushed it off, making her way down to the marketplace to track down her favorite breakfast. Moss and cobblestone passed beneath her feet on her way, storefronts melting away to an open plaza with banners of every color strung up overhead. Every stall was open and alive despite the early hour, surrounding her with those bartering, laughing, and hawking their wares to the other shoppers up and about. Zelda couldn’t help but smile as she made her own way down the rows of booths, familiar scent drawing her in long before a voice called out to her.

“Morning, Zelda! You’re just in time, I’m about to pull a fresh batch of pumpkin bread out of the oven. Won’t you come and chat for a few moments?”

Zelda grinned, nodding as she approached the baker’s stand and ducking behind the counter to settle in at her and Asra’s usual spot. “Always for you, Selasi. I’ve been meaning to ask - how’s Benji doing?”

Benji, Selasi’s husband, had been suffering from a bout of illness a few weeks prior. The baker in question had gone to the Honeypot searching for some ways to make him more comfortable while they waited for the fever to break, and Zelda had been more than happy to oblige - but she hadn’t had much time to check in since Asra seemed to be gone more and more recently.

Selasi beamed as he poured her a cup of a steaming, minty brew, which she gratefully accepted and sipped from as he spoke.

“Oh, much better. He’s just started back at work - and good timing, too, because I’m really tired of being overcharged by the other fishmonger.” He made a face, and Zelda laughed, nodding in agreement as continued. “You really did wonders for him, Zelda. He acts like he’s ten years younger rather than just recovered from a nasty bout of the flu.”

Zelda just shrugged, face warming as she sipped from her cup. “Oh, I just threw together a few things. Anyone could have done it. I’m just glad I could have helped.”

Selasi made a sound of disagreement before he quickly changed the subject, so fast it nearly gave her whiplash when she saw the cheeky grin and the raised brow on his sun speckled face as he leaned on the edge of the table. 

“And where’s your beloved Asra, hm? Sleeping in again?”

Zelda choked on her drink, much to her chagrin and the baker’s amusement. Coughing, she set the cup aside, hearing Selasi snicker as he clapped her on the back a few times. 

“He’s not _my_ anything.” She protested weakly, tone not at all convincing when paired with the rampant blush that spread across her cheeks or the way she rolled her lip between her teeth as she hurried to change the topic. “And he’s left again. Off on another journey of his.”

The baker stared her down for a moment, making her face heat further until he finally turned back to the oven and moved to pull out the tray of pumpkin loaves. “Ah, well...do you know where he’s off to this time?”

She could only muster a shrug, and Selasi shot her a somewhat scandalized look before dramatically placing a hand on his chest - flour puffing up into his face as he did. “He didn’t tell you? How suspicious! You’re telling me that rascal is keeping secrets from his prized apprentice? Oh, I’ll have words for him when he comes back...”

He huffed, blowing a strand of salt-and-pepper curls out of his face, which just made Zelda crack a smile and shake her head at him. She knew his words were in jest, meant to cheer her up, but...it worked anyhow. 

“That’s alright, Selasi.” Zelda murmured, setting the cup aside and letting out a deep breath. “I know he’ll tell me when he’s ready, but...I just can’t help but worry about him when he goes so suddenly.”

There were a few beats of pause before Selasi set the still hot tray aside, folding his arms over his barrel chest and leaning back against the wall next to her. 

“You know, when Benji and I were about your age, he used to work on this tiny fishing boat. Maybe four people on the whole crew, and the captain was a piece of work. No regard for anyone’s safety.” Selasi mused, glancing toward Zelda as she turned in her seat to get a better look at him. “Went as far as to drag the whole crew out into the worst storm of the year, because the crazy son of a bitch thought they’d all get a better catch with less ships in the bay during the storm. I remember being worried out of my mind for Benji, watching the storm get worse and worse as the night went on.”

“This is supposed to reassure me?” Zelda muttered, tone playful, then yelped as Selasi reached out and flicked her nose. 

“Yes. Because, the thing is? For all my worrying, Benji was alright. He came home, soaked to the bone and tired as anything, but he came back. Just like Asra will, for better or worse, like he always does.” He ruffled her hair with a smile, making her groan and immediately try to straighten it out. “Worry is a natural thing when you care about someone.”

Zelda looked down into her cup, a myriad of emotions playing across her face, but the ease of her shoulders was clear as she looked back up and smiled at the older man. “Thanks, Selasi.”

“Anytime. Now…” With a heavy thunk, Selasi dropped his elbows onto the table, chin in his hands as he leaned in to look Zelda in the eye. “Care to tell me why the Countess made a sudden visit to our favorite magician’s shop last night?”

Zelda could only muster a wide-eyed stare, and Selasi laughed, dark eyes bright as he gave her a cheeky wink. “There’ve been whispers all morning, you know! I heard that the Countess’s escort rode into your neighborhood ‘round dawn, where she wandered like a lost lamb ‘til she found your door.”

As much as she wanted to tell him all about her strange encounters...Zelda had a feeling that was a bad idea. She was close with Selasi, and she knew she’d likely spill something she shouldn’t - and he was an _awful_ gossip. And gossip spread too quickly in this part of Vesuvia, anyway. 

“How’s that bread coming along?” Zelda asked instead, hiding her amused smile behind a sip of tea as Selasi sighed dramatically. 

“Oh, spoil my fun, will you?” He chuckled, picking up a load and carefully wrapping it in linen for her. She reached out with a smile, accepting the loaf and settling a few coins in his palm before he suddenly clasped her outstretched hand in his. But his smile was reassuring, making Zelda pause before reflexively trying to tug her hand away. 

“Hey...next time he’s here, bring Asra. I'm sure you’d feel better if you two can spend some time together. I haven’t seen him in weeks.” Selasi’s wink lightened Zelda’s spirits a dozen times over. “Besides, he’s good for business. Eats like you don’t feed him.”

Zelda laughed, shaking her head as he released her hand and waved her off. “Now, get lost. I can’t be the reason the Countess is kept waiting!”

With a wave over her shoulder, Zelda left, pumpkin bread in hand as she merged into the growing flow of foot traffic. She followed the crowd to a narrow street, equally packed with people and the occasional animal, but no less familiar to her as she stepped to the side of the well-worn path. 

Zelda leaned back against the high stone wall that formed the narrow passage, taking her time with her breakfast as the mist began to fade in favor of midmorning sun. The rays cast long shadows on the cobblestones, one particular beam catching on a reflective surface that caught her eye. 

Gleaming silver moons were strung upon the curtains at the entrance to the fortune teller’s booth, shrouding it in secrecy even as the sun shone through the opening. It made her smile, mind drifting to Asra, how he’d told her once before that he’d had a tent like this before the Honeypot was a part of his life. 

In her musings, she didn’t notice the redhead stepping closer, not until she stood to move away from the wall and immediately slammed into them as they had come closer. 

The both stumbled, Zelda trying in vain to catch her balance as her ass nearly hit the cobblestones, but the other caught her arm in a firm and calloused hand before hauling her back onto her feet. The motion knocked the basket from its place on the other young woman’s hip, and she groaned as pomegranates inside tumbled onto the stones between them. 

“Oh, as if I wasn’t already late…” She mutters, and she and Zelda both dropped, knocking their foreheads together with an equally unflattering noise as they both had scrambled to gather the fallen fruit. 

“Jeez, what is your head made out of -”

“Oh, gods, I’m so sorry -”

The both froze, hands on their foreheads, before they burst into laughter that earned them a couple strange glances from passersby. Still giggling, they managed to gather up all of the pomegranates, the stranger tucking them carefully into the basket as Zelda swiped the last one before a passing cow could crush it underfoot. They were nearly trampled trying, but thankfully, escaped unscathed - the pomegranates were of questionable status.

Vibrant blue eyes expressed clear happiness as she tapped each pomegranate, finding that each of them was in place, and Zelda couldn’t help but notice the sheer number - a dozen of them, when buying them in bulk wasn’t at all common. 

“Ooh, thank you! How sweet of you to help...and after I bumped into you in the first place.”

Zelda gave her a sheepish smile, dusting off her hands absently. “No, I...think that was definitely my fault. I’m sorry.”

The redhead waved a hand, curls bouncing in a gentle breeze that swept through the passage. “Well, either way, I don’t think I can thank you enough. You saved me a lot of trouble.” She picked through the basket for a moment, finding a satisfactory pomegranate and rubbing it on her sleeve before offering it to Zelda. “I probably shouldn’t do this, but, well…”

Somewhat baffled by the woman, Zelda reached out, hesitantly taking the pomegranate and relaxing when she beamed broadly. The redhead gave her a smile, already half turned to walk away when she called out over her shoulder. 

“Take care, alright? You could knock someone out with a head that hard.”

Zelda’s face burned as the redhead laughed, throwing a backwards wave over her shoulder before vanishing into the crowd. She watched the spot where she disappeared for a long moment, still processing what had just happened, before a voice to her left caught her attention. 

“That was Portia, you know.” The aged fortune-teller said, their voice just as gravelly and withered as they appeared. “She’s the Countess’s favorite servant. But as for you…”

They stepped out from beyond the opening of their tent, flashing a silver-toothed smile and eying her with the usual keen interest that always unnerved her. “Sweet pet, might I finally convince you to join me here? Surely I could teach you a few things that master of yours has been...neglecting to share with you.”

Their eyes lowered down her attire, a little too low for Zelda’s comfort as she tugged the sweetheart cut of her blouse up and stepped away from their outstretched hand. 

“No thank you.” She said, tone somewhat curt as she turned away. “I’m perfectly content where I am.”

“As you wish. But know this...your fate will come to you, no matter how you try to ignore it!”

Zelda grimaced as she heard them call out again, resolutely not turning back even as their voice grated on her ears. They’d always been unusually keen on her, finding any excuse to speak with her, but...never when she was with Asra. Only when she was on her own, like they were trying to lure her in, but she was just unnerved by the way they looked at her. 

Thankfully, though, they were already moving on to the next patron, giving her time to digest what she’d been told. 

The Countess...that’s right. She said she’d send an escort for her, but Zelda had forgotten, and still somehow crossed paths with her regardless. Quickly composing herself, she hastened her pace, hoping to spot the flash of vibrat red curls that would allow her to hopefully catch up with the other woman. But a few more minutes of searching would reveal that for now, Portia had disappeared, so Zelda resigned herself to continuing her journey to the palace on her own for now. 

Every step that took her higher into the Heart district had her rising with the sun, which traveled across the sky to beat down on Zelda from overhead. The stairs seemed endless, the front of her thighs and her calves burned, but the slow darkening of the sky as the sun continued its own path would provide some relief. The air cooled, the sweat on her skin drying, and a touch of magic whisked away the last remnants of any discomfort that could impact her impression on the Countess. 

...not that it could get worse than the bumbling she’d done in the shop. That had been mortifying. She’d have hidden in the shop and hoped to die of embarrassment if it weren’t for the fact that the Countess could easily send guards to haul her up to the palace instead. 

With a heavy sigh of relief, Zelda slowed to a halt before the grandiose palace gates, wrought silver curling high above her head in intricate whorls. She laid a single hand upon the gate, gazing through at the breathtaking sight of the sky-breaching spires and vibrant stained glass, so caught up in the sight beyond that she missed the guards on either side of the gate. 

“Who goes there?” The guard on the right asked, tone admittedly far more demanding, making Zelda flinch before she took a deep breath in. 

_They’re just people. Breathe in, breathe out. Answer the questions they ask and all will be well._

“My name is Zelda Hollyheart.” She said, squaring her shoulders in an attempt to look far more outwardly confident than she really felt. Her chin lifted, her hands clasped together behind her back as she fought the nervous warble that threatened to surface. “I’ve come at the request of the Countess.”

The guards share a look, entirely unreadable to Zelda beneath their polished helms, but that long moment of silent communication was enough to start a knot of swirling unease in the pit of her stomach.

Finally, the one on the left spoke, voice quizzical. “Zelda?”

“We have no knowledge of your summons.” The right guard says, tone almost smug, but Zelda couldn’t tell if that was their intention or herself reading too closely between the lines. 

“Unless you can provide evidence of such a claim, you must leave at once.” The one on the left picks up the conversation, their tone final as Zelda felt the full attention of the pair on her from either side. 

She took a deep breath in and offered them a smile, trying to be as polite as she could - they were just doing their job, after all. “I’m afraid I don’t have anything to show you, but please, if Portia has returned, do ask her. She was supposed to be my escort, but I’m sorry to say we got separated before we could make it up to the gates.”

The guards exchange another long look before the one on the left shakes their head. 

“Portia is not currently on the palace grounds.” They say, tone a little more relaxed at Zelda’s words. “But while we cannot let you in, you’re welcome to wait for her return to verify that you are who you say.”

Zelda nodded, giving the guard a grateful smile. “I will. Thank you…?”

“Ludovico.” They answered, offering their hand with a light smile of their own. “That’s Bludmilla.”

Bludmilla just grunted their acknowledgement, already returning their focus to the path beyond where Zelda stood as Ludovico shrugged.

“She doesn’t talk much, but she’s good at her job.”

Zelda just shook her head, amusement on her face as she leaned against the wrought silver panel of the gate and shook the outstretched hand. “I can respect that. I imagine you all probably deal with all kinds of people.”

She heard a snort before Ludovico shoved the plated covering of their helm up, revealing a dark-skinned young man with blue eyes so vibrant she thought they could have glowed. He couldn’t have been more than seventeen, if Zelda had to guess, and the tone of his voice made her think she wasn’t too far off. 

“Oh, definitely. I’ve only been posted here for a week, but Bludmilla says there’s this crazy old man who comes up to the gates all the time to preach about the end of the world. We’ve already seen him twice today.” He gave her a grin, leaning back against the gate beside Zelda and folding his arms over his chest. “But it’s not all bad, at least not when there’s a breeze. Sometimes I think I could boil alive in this armor, but Bludmilla says you get used to that, and the servants always make sure to bring water out for us.”

“He’s passed out once already.” Bludmilla said, her voice somewhat gruff but her tone revealing she cared a little more than she let on. 

Ludovico just waved a hand, seemingly unconcerned. “I just blacked out for a few minutes, nothing major. I have this charm now that I stick in my armor to keep it cool, and it helps a lot.”

Zelda couldn’t help but snort at his rather flippant attitude, a smile cracking on her face. “Well, I’m glad to hear it’s better, but it’s not good if that armor is really that hot. I’ve got a shop down in the city center - I could probably whip up more of those charms for you all. I’ll talk to the Countess about it when I get a chance.”

The young man smiled before his attention fell over her shoulder, his face lighting up as he waved to a figure beyond. “Oh, hey, Portia! We were just talking about you.” 

Zelda turned, and for a moment she wondered what in the world she would have done if the fortune teller had been mistaken and pointed out the wrong woman as Portia.

Thankfully, she didn’t have that trouble - it was the same young woman with the basket of pomegranates, concern written on her face as and hair plastered to her brow she took in Zelda’s face, her clothes...then gasped and pointed at her with a look of shock on her face. 

“ _You!_ ” 

Zelda waved sheepishly as Bludmilla spoke up, a hint of amusement clear in her voice in the presence of someone familiar. “So you do know this one, Portia?” 

“Well, yeah, we bumped into each other in the market, I guess while she was coming up here.” Portia leaned the basket on her hip, thinking for a moment longer before it seemed to dawn on her. “Oh, I can’t believe I didn’t realize it sooner! Here I was, worrying I’d lost the Countess’s guest before I even found her, and here you are!”

She marched forward, looping her arm through Zelda’s with a cheeky sort of smile before nodding to Bludmilla. “I was supposed to bring her up myself, but...it seems Zelda found her way on her own.”

Bludmilla nodded, and with a gesture to Ludovico, the latter’s face plate snapped back down and they pushed the silver wrought gate open for them both with a silence Zelda hadn’t expected from a massive piece of metal. 

“Nice to meet you, Zelda!” Ludovico called as they passed through the gate, and Zelda threw a smile and a wave over her shoulder before the palace stole all her attention away from anything else around her. 

It was like a page straight from a children’s storybook - polished railings gleamed in the dying rays of the sun, stained glass windows surely casting colorful beams inside the star-reaching spires. Zelda couldn’t help the somewhat childish wonder that made her think, if just for a moment, that perhaps she could reach a hand up into the clouds from the peak of one of those spires. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Portia said, voice soft as she released Zelda’s arm. “I had to pick my jaw up off the bridge when I first came here. I’d never seen anything like it before.”

Grateful for the distraction, Zelda grabbed the opportunity to focus on something aside from the walk across the bridge. “When did you come here? I’ll admit, I’m surprised I’ve never met you in town before.”

“What, who, me?” Portia floundered for a moment before making a thoughtful sound, the soft glow of the palace illuminating her face. “A little while ago, I suppose. Long enough to know the inner workings of the place, if you catch my drift.”

Portia’s pace was brisk, the redhead easily overtaking Zelda’s steps and leading the way across the bridge. Her presence was a relief to Zelda for any reasons - not only would she have been alone as she faced the palace without her, but she might have had to make the long journey home with her tail between her legs. And...Portia was bubbly, a friendly face that soothed her worries about the impending meeting with the Countess. 

At the sound of rushing water, Zelda leaned over the side of the railing to gaze down into the moat - but movement caught her eye instead. Far below, she could see something serpentine curling through the much, glowing like a bloodless ghost and its body moving like a ribbon caught in the breeze.

“Something caught your eye?” Portia asks, leaning over the edge beside her before her eyes lit up at the creature disappearing into the muck. “Ah. Do you like animals?”

“Yes.” Zelda’s gaze had turned wary, eyeing the creature until the very end of its tail disappeared into the sand. “But definitely not that one.”

Portia laughed, clapping Zelda’s shoulder with a firm hand. “Well, not to worry! The palace has all kinds of exotic animals, but those ones aren’t too friendly. They’re called vampire eels. They can’t see or hear, but if they manage to get ahold of you, they’ll drink your blood dry.”

Giving the moat one last look, Zelda nodded, her expression clearly displaying her discontent. “Right...got it. Don’t fall into the moat.”

The woman let out another laugh, settling a hand on Zelda’s back to guide her further along the bridge. Zelda was content to let Portia lead the conversation, her thoughts truly too tumultuous to form a coherent thought as the pair approached the intricate door ahead. One thought became prevalent as she took in the great door, eyes tracing every elegant curve of wood and metal as they blended together in a single piece. 

Was this really a wise decision? What waited beyond the doors of a fortress so far from home? And if she walked through those doors...would she ever truly be able to walk out again?

Too soon they stood before the doors, Portia offering her a winsome smile before sweeping a hand toward the doors dramatically. “We have arrived.”

Three heavy strikes to the door felt as if they rattled Zelda right down to her bones, but as the last echoes faded, the doors slowly swung open...and she was swept inside, unsure what to anticipate beyond those doors. 

To say the least, it was a different world in comparison to the Honeypot. The bedroom she shared at home was colorful, installations of stained glass giving them privacy from the world and casting the room in a rainbow glow. The floors were deep, dark wood, just like the four-poster bed frame, while the curtains that framed it were gauzy and sheer and the quilt was patterned with stars. 

But while home was warm, this place was harsh. The floors, the walls, and even the ceilings high overhead were clean-cut and polished marble so brilliant it nearly hurt to look at. There wasn’t a window in sight in this hall, and while the candelabras helped soften the harshness of the entryway, Zelda could think of very few times she’d ever felt so uncomfortable entering a new place. 

Though perhaps it had something to do with the row of no less than a dozen servants lined up on each side of the hall, a rainbow of uniformed faces greeting her as Portia laid a hand on her back and guided her forward. 

“Welcome.” 

“Welcome.” 

“Welcome.” 

Emerald eyes shifted uneasily from side to side as Zelda was welcomed by each person, unnerved by the amount of attention on her before she finally managed to roll her shoulders back and lift her chin up. She managed a few polite waves as one servant slipped from the end of the line, joining her and Portia with a deep bow in Zelda’s direction. 

At perhaps four feet tall and with a sumptuous blue feather standing proudly in their velvet hat, they dashed to Portia’s side, a smile on their face but tension clear in the line of their shoulders. 

Portia was far more relaxed, the pair easily keeping a brisk pace that truthfully had Zelda a touch out of breath. “How are we doing on time?”

Smile still plastered on their face, the chamberlain nodded, reaching for the basket Portia was carrying. “You have impeccable timing. We’re just about to serve the first course, but her ladyship has yet to descend.”

Heaving a sigh of relief, Portia handed over the basket of pomegranates, which was handed off to yet another servant and whisked out of sight near instantaneously. “Perfect. Will you run and tell the kitchen that our guest has arrived?”

“Yes, yes, right away!”

With a quick bend at the waist, the chamberlain slips away, disappearing behind a panel in the wall which slides seamlessly shut as Portia catches Zelda’s attention once more. 

“Well, well, well! It looks like we’ll be arriving right on time.” She says, clasping her hands together behind her back. “Her ladyship will be joining us soon. I’ll show you to the dining room.”

_Dining? As in...me, dining? With the Countess?_

Zelda stared at Portia for a moment before she laughed nervously. “Uh...what?”

Portia laughed, but the look she gave Zelda held a touch of pity as she patted her on the shoulder. “Oh, don’t tell me you thought we wouldn’t feed you!” A gentle squeeze, and her face became a little more comforting and a little less teasing. “No need to be shy, Zelda. You’re the guest of honor, of course we’re going to take care of you.”

Well, that did nothing to actually comfort Zelda. Her stomach was sent aflutter, every nerve standing on end as their shared footsteps seemed to pound in time with her racing heart. She wanted to flee, turn tail and run back to the safety of home like a frightened doe she felt like she was, but Portia’s purposeful stride had them too soon at the end of the cavernous hall. 

She flinched when she felt a hand settle on her back, but quickly relaxed once she realized it was still only Portia. 

“We’ll go in together, okay? I know it’s a lot right now, but you’ll be okay.”

Zelda nodded slowly, and Portia patted her back gently as she took a deep breath in and slowly let it out. “...right. Right. I’ll be okay.”

Together, they stepped into the dining room, rich scents filling Zelda’s nose with every breath she took. They were unfamiliar, tantalizing, and a keen reminder she hadn’t eaten since the pumpkin bread she’d picked up from Selasi that morning. The table was laid heavy with platters of food she’d never seen before - and that meant a lot, considering the kinds of food Asra would make for them both when he was home - but she knew it would be rude to eat anything before the Countess arrived. 

Overwhelmed, she searched for something else in the room to focus on as she stood in the room, tearing her gaze away from the spread of food and landing upon the painting on the wall across from her. 

A host of figures were seated at a table not unlike the one she sat out now, each of them with the heads of mammals and birds of all kinds. But what held her attention most was the central figure, a white-furred goat with arms spread to indicate the feast it had provided. Behinds its head glittered a crown of golden rays, but her eyes locked onto the strikingly lifelike red of its eyes that seemed to hold her own. 

“Words cannot express how glad I am to see you here, Zelda.”

Zelda’s head turned so fast her neck popped, the ends of her hair nearly falling into a serving dish as she looked toward the source of the sonorous voice. 

Nadia smiled as she sat, picking up a glass of wine that was promptly filled for her by the redhead. “I take it you ran into no trouble on the way here, Portia?”

Portia smiled easily, surprisingly relaxed in the presence of the Countess. “Not at all! At least, not once I found Zelda. An otherwise perfect stroll through town.”

The befeathered chamberlain returned, offering Zelda a smile before pulling out a chair for her to sink into. Zelda made a small sound of surprise at the plush seat, shifting a little before her face flushed heavily at Nadia’s amused look. 

“Will that be all, Countess?” The chamberlain asked, and Nadia inclined her head, smiling politely. 

“Yes, thank you. You are excused for the evening, Marlowe.”

Feathers bobbing, the chamberlain bows, exiting the dining room with a flourish. It’s only then that Zelda notices the only two settings at the table are Nadia’s and her own, making her brow furrow quizzically. 

When she looked up, she saw Nadia’s cheeks darkening, her expression somehow _sheepish_ of all things. “I hope you were not expecting anything too extravagant. I thought we might have something simple tonight.”

Zelda managed a slight laugh, shaking her head slightly. “No, no, it’s...wonderful. Maybe you think this is simple, but...I think this is the richest meal I’ve ever seen.”

Nadia seemed to relax as Zelda looked around, walls and ceiling shimmering in the low golden glow of the candlelights. Her gaze fell back to that painting, sanguine eyes drawing her in and in and in…

“Ah.” Nadia’s voice cut through the fog that had begun to cloud Zelda’s mind, bringing her back to reality. “I see you’ve noticed the painting.”

She tore her eyes away again, focusing on Nadia's thoughtful expression instead as she spoke.

“Dreadfully ostentatious, is it not? I really should have it taken down. But then, I suppose it was one of my late husband’s favorites.” She raises her glass, gesturing loosely to the painting with it. “That figure in the center is, I believe, meant to be Lucio, graciously providing a bounty for the people.”

Zelda chanced a look at the painting again, and as the name of the Count took shape in her mind, she could have sworn those crimson eyes _blinked_ at her. They burned into her as she fought the urge to squirm in her seat, focusing instead on the name in question. 

The departed Count...the reason why she was there. 

Every moment she considered his name, the goat-headed figure became more and more familiar, eyes so vivid she could almost feel them returning her gaze from the surface of the canvas. 

_“Do you like it? Such beautiful red…”_

A phantom hand passed along the back of her neck, making Zelda slam her knee into the underside of the table and rattling the dishes on its surface. Her hands grasped the white linen tablecloth, knuckles white and her heart pounding as she tried to steady her breathing.

Nadia had paused mid sip of her drink, concern written across her face. “Zelda, is something amiss? Is the wine not to your liking, perhaps?”

As the whispering voice faded, Zelda slowly shook her head, forcing herself to let go of the white tablecloth and plastering on a smile. Even still, she could feel the eyes, burning into the side of her head as she tried not to look. 

“No...it’s nothing. I’m fine.” She said, trying not to waver under the long and steady look the Countess fixed upon her. After a long moment, Nadia spoke again, voice calm yet commanding Zelda’s attention. 

“I will not push you, Zelda, nor should I desire to make you uncomfortable. But should you find yourself in need of anything, anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask.” Her gaze falls off to the side, even if her tone did not change. “After all, it was I who requested your assistance. I would be a poor host if I did not provide for your comfort and well-being.”

Zelda felt herself relax, even more so as the sensation of being watched finally faded away and Portia bustled in with two steaming bowls of soup. Nadia offered her a smile as the bowl was placed before her, more relaxed too now that the topic had changed. “Thank you, Portia. And a bottle of the Golden Goose should round out the meal, if you would.”

“Of course, milady.” Portia nodded, busying herself with wine glasses and bottles, throwing the occasional curious glance at Zelda. The moment their glasses were filled with sparkling champagne, Nadia raised her own toward Zelda in a toast.

“Zelda, I must thank you once more for coming to the palace. Your presence is of great comfort to me. It is my hope, that in the coming weeks, you and I shall become close allies. And, of course, I shall compensate you handsomely for investigating my husband’s murder.”

Somewhat sheepishly, Zelda raised her glass as well, watching as the Countess took a quick sip of her drink before setting the glass aside. Elbows propped on the table and fingers laced together under her chin, Nadia sobered, her tone taking on a more serious note that made Zelda quickly put her own drink down.

“Now, onto the matter at hand. I have a lead for you, to set you on your way in this investigation. Doctor Julian Devorak was the Count’s personal physician, and apprehended the very evening of Lucio’s murder. He even confessed to the crime. But, before he could be sentenced…” Nadia’s brows lowered, a touch of annoyance clear on her face. “He escaped. He has evaded capture for three years now.”

Zelda froze mid-reach for the glass of water beside her plate, feeling as if she’d been doused in ice-cold water herself as a chill rolled down her spine. 

That had been the name on the wanted posters. 

That had been the man who had broken into her shop. 

“Are there...any other leads?” She asked eventually, keeping her voice as neutral as possible. While she’d prefer a lead that didn’t involve the man who broke into her home…

Nadia sighed heavily, shaking her head. “While the Count had no shortage of enemies, the doctor is still our strongest and only lead. Yet, the apparent facts of the case simply do not add up...why would the doctor go to the trouble of murdering my husband at all? Lucio was already dying, as yet another victim of the red plague.”

Even whispers of the plague struck fear in Vesuvia, three years after its reign over the city...it had claimed young and old, frail and strong. It had no pattern, no way to discern who would fall to it next. Zelda had tried asking Asra about it, once, when she was still learning and had overheard quiet mention in conversation in town. He’d clammed up, but the look in his eyes, so haunted and hurt by even the mention of the words…

She didn’t have the heart to ask him again, instead finding a book to learn the basic facts she could understand. 

“When the Count contracted the plague, no expense was spared. Physicians, scientists, alchemists, fortune tellers, magicians...all were invited in search of a cure. Doctor Devorak took up such a role alongside his duties as Lucio’s caretaker. But the cure never came, and the plague ran its course, killing thousands before it fizzled out.”

Nadia paused briefly, rubbing her temple with one hand. “I can find no good motive in murdering a man who was already on death’s door, nor can I make sense of the doctor’s actions after Lucio’s death. If he was guilty, _and_ he confessed, why would he flee so suddenly?”

With a sigh, Nadia’s words hung heavily in the air as her tone took on a quieter note. “I hope, Zelda, you see why this whole mystery vexes me so. I consider myself reasonably keen, but I simply cannot make sense of the few facts I have.”

Zelda nodded slowly, for now following the Countess’s train of thought, but...still left with oh so many questions. One, however, prevailed above all others.

“Why now?” She asked eventually, tracing her fingertips around the rim of her water glass idly. “The Count has been dead for years, so there must be a reason as to why this matters so much to you.”

A wry smile pulled at the Countess’s ruby-painted lips. “Ah, you’re quite right to ask, Zelda.” 

“Vesuvia is in dire need of help. Order needs to be restored, and I am in the unique position to restore it.” She leaned back in her chair, folding her hands delicately in her lap. “However, I intend to lead by example, not by fear. I must show the people of Vesuvia that I am capable. I have...so many plans for Vesuvia, and I want to see this city flourish. I hope you can help me see those dreams to fruition, beginning with the return of the Masquerade.”

Zelda felt her jaw go slack, and a quick glance toward Portia revealed to her that the redhead mirrored her own astonishment. 

“What?” Zelda blurted out, unable to help her own unbridled curiosity. “Why?”

“Ah, please do not misunderstand me, Zelda.” Nadia waved a hand, as if trying to dispel the notion as she spoke. “Unlike my late husband, I do not enjoy outlandish revels for their own sake. I much prefer a glass of wine, good company, and stimulating conversation.”

With some internal delight, Zelda noted the way the corners of Nadia’s eyes creased with a genuine smile as their gazes met. 

“However, the Masquerade is not about what I want, but what Vesuvia needs. Due to...unforeseen circumstances, I have been out of the public eye for some time.” Portia and the Countess exchanged a brief look, so fast Zelda wondered if she’d imagined it. “The Masquerade would be an excellent way to restore public confidence and bring the city together. However, I can hardly ask anybody to attend another Masquerade with my husband’s killer still walking free. Therefore, the murder investigation is of the utmost urgency.”

She leaned forward in her chair, hand inches from Zelda’s own on the table. “Zelda, I implore you to be as thorough as possible. Find Doctor Devorak, learn all you can from him. Find the truth.”

With a deep breath in, Zelda hesitantly spoke up, addressing the rather large elephant in the room. 

“And if I find the truth to be that the doctor is guilty?”

Nadia’s gaze hardened, and her hand twitched, as if they tried to curl into a fist before she stopped herself. “Then we have no choice but to carry out his sentence. Murder is a charge punishable by execution in Vesuvia.”

There was a terrible crash of glass, and when Zelda turned to look at the source, she met Portia’s horror stricken face as she stood among the broken remnants of a fresh bottle of Golden Goose that now was seeping into the floor. 

“Portia?” Nadia asked gently, half rising from her seat, but the redhead quickly waved her off. 

“F-forgive me, milady, I suppose my hands were slippery."

Zelda was not entirely convinced, but Nadia seemed to relax, smiling a little at the handmaiden. “It is no matter, as long as you are unharmed.”

With windsprint speed, Portia took up a broom and mop, sweeping away the shattered mess with efficiency as Nadia returned her attention to Zelda. 

“Zelda, I know I ask much of you, and we have only truly just met. But you have quite the reputation - I hear that your skill with the Arcana surpasses even your Master Asra. And for my part, I am quite curious to see how your talents will be put to work.” 

The Countess took a final sip of her wine, setting the glass aside. “Soon, I will introduce you to some prominent members of the Court. They can be...a touch eccentric, but I hope you might learn something useful from them.”

“You think they know something important?”

Nodding, the Countess picked up a bowl of plump grapes, offering it to Zelda as she spoke - who took one and quickly popped it into her mouth. “Yes. The courtiers aided in the apprehension of Doctor Devorak, and I have called upon them to assist in your investigation to the extent that they are able.” With a note of finality, the Countess rose, Zelda following on instinct as she pushed away her empty plate. 

“Portia.” The Countess said, and when she received no answer, her gaze slid curiously toward the handmaiden in question. “...Portia.”

Portia jolted, snapping out of her reverie and her freckled cheeks turning pink in her surprise. “Yes, milady?”

“Do show Zelda to the guest quarters. I imagine she’s had quite the long day.” 

Managing a shaky smile, Portia waited until the Countess had left the room before it fell from her face with a heavy sigh. Eyes downcast, she wordlessly escorted Zelda out of the dining room and back into the palace proper. 

The halls were quiet and empty, making every step ring louder against polished marble as Portia ushered Zelda through the halls. But Zelda had never done well with silence, and though she thought it might be better to leave it be, the words escaped her unbidden in an attempt to break the quiet. 

“So...that bottle you dropped at dinner -”

Before she could finish, Portia laughed loudly, shaking her head quickly. “Oh, don’t worry about that. Golden Goose sounds fancy, but it’s not exactly a rare bottle of champagne. We’ve plenty in the stores. Like I said, just slippery hands.”

Zelda looked at her for a long moment, eyes lingering on the desperation hidden behind Portia’s smile, and decided that yes, she would drop the subject for now. But she knew now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that something else was going on behind the redhead’s bubbly exterior. 

After a few sharp turns that Zelda knew she would get lost navigating on her own, Portia stopped, listening intently to something Zelda could not pick out. 

“Hey, Zel, come here for a second. I wanna show you something.” 

Without waiting for an answer, she hooked an arm through the brunette’s, gesturing to the massive painting nearby. It showed two massive, lanky white dogs with identical mismatched eyes - one inky black, one ruby red - standing over a pile of pomegranates. Their paws were stained with the juices of the crimson fruit, as well as their white maws, so stark against the white of their fur it unnerved her. 

“Creepy, right?” Portia asked with a laugh, feeling along the edge of the frame. “Now, where was it again…ah ha! Gotcha!”

She gripped the edge of the painting and swung it open, revealing an archway beyond. A musty draft billowed outward, carrying stale air out into their noses and making Zelda sneeze as she realized that no one could have gone down that path in some time. 

Portia elbowed her lightly, genuine smile on her face as she spoke. “Neat, isn’t it? The palace is full of secret passages like this. Every time I think I’ve found them all, I stumble over another.” 

With a conspiratorial wink, she ducked through the arch, pulling Zelda along with her as she went. 

In the darkness, Zelda raised a hand, casting a small orb of light that illuminated the passage as the portrait swung shut behind them. She could see dusty paintings of animals lining the walls, all pure white with ruby-red eyes glinting in the gloom and seemingly following their every move.

“What _is_ this place?” Zelda muttered, watching as Portia approached a large painting of a white lion and ran a hand down its surface. 

“This used to be the Count’s Menagerie Gallery. Hardly anyone comes down here, these days.” Portia mused, wiping her dirty palm on her thigh before she started to walk again. 

Zelda lifted the light a little higher, narrowly ducking in time to dodge a cobweb that would have wrapped around her head if she’d walked into it. “Then what are we doing here?”

“It’s a shortcut to the guest wing! Takes you right past the main stairs.” Portia’s cheery expression sobered as she clasped her hands together. “And...I wanted to talk to you without worrying about being overheard.”

She takes in a deep breath, making sure the portrait latched shut before finally speaking. 

“You’re new to the palace, so I’ll let you in on a little something. It looks all glamorous and glitzy on the outside, I know, but there’s something else going on underneath. A lot of people have secrets here, and they might not want you to find them. I trust milady, and I’m glad you’re helping her, but...make sure you look out for yourself, too.”

There were a few beats of silence as Zelda processed this, settling one hand on her hip as the other carefully cupped the light that illuminated both their faces in the darkness. 

“Am I in danger?” She asked eventually, and Portia gave her a baffled look in answer. 

“I would hope not! You’re the Countess’s guest, after all. But this place has felt...strange, lately. There are all these rumors of ghosts in the halls!” She rolled her eyes, exasperation clear on Portia’s face as she set her hands on her hips. “Sometimes it’s just servants shirking their duties, saying the gallery ghost got to them. I’ve been hearing that old story since I got here, but even some of the skeptics are starting to believe.”

The light in Zelda’s palm flickered, making them both freeze as Zelda lifted her hand in wordless surrender. “That’s not me.”

With a little more focus, she steadied the light, the darkness now feeling like a physical weight as Portia’s voice softened. “They say there’s a beast in the Count’s wing, that it speaks even when it’s not there.”

The space between Zelda’s eyes stung as she recalled the voice from dinner, the feeling of the hand against the back of her neck...how much it resembled the voice from her dreams the night before. As if understanding her thoughts, Portia looked at her, through her, as she asked her next question. “Have you...heard anything like that?”

If it really was the voice from her dreams, that meant something was haunting her, but...her dreams made it seem like the Count himself was in her shadow. She couldn’t remember him, much less had a connection to him...so how could that be so? 

“I don’t know.” Zelda said, her free hand lifting to rub the back of her neck. She still wasn’t sure of what she heard earlier, if it truly even was something more than a trick of the mind. She’d certainly had a weird forty-eight hours…Portia seemed to shrug it off, expression somewhere between mischievous and bubbly. “Well, if you do see something spooky, let me know!”

Strangely enough, she seemed...excited, not alarmed as Zelda would have expected if she truly believed something was truly prowling the halls. 

“Listen, I know all the ins and outs of the palace. Secret doors, hidden passages, even some weird magic portals! If you need help tracking down mysteries, I’m your girl.” Portia winked, and Zelda couldn’t help but smile, her enthusiasm infectious after the whirlwind day. It was just...really nice to have a friendly face. 

“Thanks, Portia.” She said eventually, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder. “I really appreciate that.”

Portia waved a hand, nonchalant as she hooked her arm back through Zelda’s. “Oh, anytime. Now, let’s get you to your -”

Both women froze as the portrait creaked open again, exchanging a look before Portia frowned. “That’s weird, I thought it closed it - eep!”

Two white blurs darted past the pair and into the Menagerie gallery, nearly knocking Portia over until Zelda grabbed her and steadied her. Portia seemed unphased, glaring after the two dogs and huffing a piece of hair out of her eyes. “Mercedes! Melchior! You’re not supposed to be in here!”

The white shapes skid to a halt, a long snout pressing to Zelda’s thigh as the larger of the two couldn’t hit the brakes in time. 

Mismatched eyes, silken white fur...these were the same dogs from the painting outside. They sniffed wildly around Zelda’s boots and the backs of her knees for a few moments before the smaller of the two bared its teeth, lip curled back in a menacing snarl before Portia’s voice cut through the air. 

“Oh, that’s enough! The way you two act, it’s no wonder we don’t get any visitors!” Portia grabbed Zelda’s arm, leading her right past the dogs at a swift march. But the whole way down the gallery, even as they left the dogs behind, Zelda knew she didn’t need a sixth sense to tell those eyes were following her. 

Honestly, she was relieved when Portia pushed aside a tapestry and they stepped out of the dusty corridor. The light fizzled out of her hand as Portia turned, face apologetic. 

“I’m sorry about that, Zelda.” She said, smoothing out the tapestry once it fell back into place. “Mercedes and Melchior are - well, were - the Count’s hunting dogs. With him gone, they’re free to run wild all over the palace.”

When they began to walk again, it was only a single turn before they stood in a cozy-looking hallway. Portia opened one of the doors with a flourish and a smile, revealing a lavish-looking room. 

As Zelda stepped inside, she took in the vibrant fabrics upon the bed, the deep wine color painting the walls, the broad glass-paneled doors leading out to a balcony she was dying to take a look at, but she held off as she listened to Portia speak. 

“These’ll be your quarters for as long as you’re here! Make yourself at home, and get some rest. I’ll come fetch you before you meet the courtiers. There are nightclothes you can use in the wardrobe - sleep well, Zelda.”

Her voice faded as she gently closed the door, leaving Zelda alone in the room for the first time in the hustle and bustle of the palace. 

She knew she should have been tired, knew she should have gone to bed, but...her mind was so awake. Her insatiable curiosity kept voicing itself, telling her how there must be more hidden secrets around the corner just waiting to be explored. 

Zelda couldn’t possibly sleep now. There was a whole palace to explore, she realized with a giggle, dropping her bag on the bed and slipping off her boots. Her steps were far quieter in her socks, letting her duck out of the guest room and further into the wing. She looked left, then right, seeing how it extended seemingly endlessly with doors lining each wall identical to her own. Nothing seemed immediately interesting, but...when she thought about it...didn’t Portia mention that she’d found some portals?

Closing her eyes, Zelda laid her hands against the cool stone, mind quieting and breathing slow as she poured her focus into the stone. Every moment she lingered, she could feel the soft hum of magic beneath her fingertips, which only grew stronger as she followed it down the hall until her toes bumped into something solid. 

She stepped back with a grimace, taking in the towering marble-and-gold statue of a goat, how its proportions were distorted to humanize it and how its ruby eyes seemed to glare down at her. Steeling herself under its gaze, she followed the far more apparent hum to the goat’s golden horns, having to step up onto the base of the statue and grasp one of its arms to touch the very tip of one of the horns. 

Then the world vanished, sending her into blackness. 

And then her vision exploded into color, and she realized she was standing on a narrow railing, far too high off the ground to _ever_ be a comfortable place to be. 

With a cry of distress, Zelda tried to lower herself, but her balance was unsteady enough to have her tipping backwards - 

“Zelda?!” She heard Portia shout, and she saw Nadia’s bewildered expression before the pair leapt up to steady Zelda atop the railing. They each seized one of her arms, pulling her back up and onto the balcony, making sure she was fully on her feet and steady before they released her. 

“Gotcha!” Portia said, heaving a sigh of relief before she playfully smacked Zelda’s arm. “That was close, you know! What would you have done if we weren’t here?”

Zelda chanced a glance over her shoulder, over the balcony, and shuddered at the realization of how high up they really were. “Die, probably.”The Countess slapped a hand over her mouth, barely concealing a laugh, but at least managed to sound sincere as she laid her hand on Zelda’s shoulder in a comforting gesture. “Well, that would have been quite tragic. Are you quite alright, Zelda?”

Nadia’s eyes twinkled as she nodded, and with Portia, guided Zelda to have a seat in a circle of luxurious armchairs. 

Zelda took in the fragrant cups of tea on a side table, the tray of sweets, and the elegant mahogany comb that sat beside them as she sat down. Portia patted her knee before dropping into the armchair nearest to Zelda, giving her a broad smile. “We were just having some snacks. You should join us!”

Nadia chuckled as she sat, adjusting her robe and the skirt of her nightgown until she settled. “Portia started the tradition of evening tea. For my part, I find it most relaxing.”

Zelda gave them both a sheepish smile, finding no room to refuse as Portia offered her the tray of sweets. She plucked up a macaron for herself, taking a small bite before she spoke up again. “Sorry for, uh, just dropping in -”

Portia snorted before she laughed, nearly dropping the tray as she tried to set it back down on the narrow table. “Oh, dropping in! Good one, Zelda!”

“Though, next time, perhaps a less perilous arrival?” Nadia teased gently, and Portia winked, the redhead clearly delighting in Zelda’s flaming cheeks. 

“Aww, milady, what’s life without a little peril?”

Lifting the teacup to her lips, Nadia shook her head, smile pulling at her mouth and making her eyes bright. “A fair point. I shall keep that in mind the next time disaster strikes.”

Zelda couldn’t help but smile as she watched the banter pass between the two of them, marveling at the ease with which the conversation flowed. It seemed to her, in the privacy of the balcony, that they were so much more casual - like old friends rather than Countess and handmaiden.

When Nadia refilled the teacups, she passed one to Zelda with a smile, warm citrus rising with the steam as she took a deep breath in. As she sipped at the warm brew, Zelda saw Portia cast her a sly wink, making her face burn again before she even spoke.

“So...were you snooping just now?”

“What?” Zelda tried to deflect, but Portia nudged her knee with a bare foot, clearly not buying it in the slightest. 

“Oh, come on, Zel! You appeared out of nowhere! Almost like...you’d stepped through some secret portal?”

At Portia’s eager expression, Zelda found herself unable to completely deny her - damn her for being such a sucker for puppy eyes - and relented with at least a snippet of information. “...maybe.”

She lightly punched Zelda’s shoulder, her eyes alight with mischievous glee. “You went without me? Gosh, Zelda, you work fast.”

“Indeed.” Nadia chuckled, folding one leg over the other. “Such diligence on your first evening.”

“Find anything cool? Spooky haunts, creepy crypts, closets full of skeletons?”

Zelda shrugged, both hands clutching the warm mug as she tucked her legs up under herself. “No, just a weird goat statue. That’s what brought me here.”

She quickly recounted what happened between sips of tea, Portia leaning forward in her chair and Nadia’s brow raised in intrigue at her tale. 

At the end, Portia leaned back, humming in thought. “Huh...that statue never did anything when I checked it out. Maybe it only really works for a magician?” She shrugged, clearly satisfied with that explanation. “Anyway, Zelda, I’m sure you’ll find some horrible haunt sooner or later.”

Nadia made a thoughtful sound, gazing into the depths of her own teacup. “You know, when I was a child, my sisters loved to spin tall tales about spirits haunting our home. One such specter haunted the oldest tree on the grounds, and another took up residence in the wine cellar. That one was a particular favorite. Supposedly, it tempted would-be thieves into overindulgence before devouring them alive. It would leave naught behind but their wine-stained teeth...as a warning to any who would dare pilfer from the cellar.”

Portia’s voice is hushed, her blue eyes wide. “Wow...was any of it true?”

Nadia shakes her head, though a fond smile flickered across her face. “Goodness, no. If even one in ten tales were true, I would have been up to my ears in ghosts. But it certainly didn’t keep any of us from pilfering the cellar when we were older and Mama and Baba’s backs were turned.”

Both Zelda and Portia giggled before the latter spoke up. “That’s a shame. Honestly, that ghost would come in handy here.”

“As a child I thought it was rather frivolous.” Nadia mused. “Now that I can enjoy a nice bottle of wine...I quite agree.”

A relaxed, comfortable silence falls over the balcony. Far below, willow trees rustle in a gentle breeze, and gentle birdsong serenaded the trio as the time passed comfortably. Portia stretched out in her chair, stifling a tired yawn, making Nadia blink quickly before setting her cup aside. 

“Forgive me, Portia. It’s been a long day, and I should not keep the two of you any longer.” She stood, and both Portia and Zelda followed suit. “Thank you for this lovely diversion. I wish you both pleasant dreams.”

Zelda felt her cheeks warm as Nadia cast a wink at her, watching as the Countess swept off the veranda and beyond the doors of her private suite. 

The palace’s many tapers and lamps were all burning low as Portia walked Zelda back to her room, pausing outside the door to give her a cheery wave. 

“Goodnight, Zelda. I’d offer to snoop some more with you, but my kitty gets restless if I’m home too late.”

“That’s alright.” Zelda chuckled, yawning behind her hand before offering Portia a smile. “Get home safe, alright?”

With a smile and a nod, Zelda watched her go until the last curl of her hair disappeared beyond the corner of the guest wing. Only then did she turn to enter her room again, eager to fall into bed with her belly full of warm tea and snacks, but...something sounded from around the corner. 

It was a low, frantic mutter, making her pause and listen closely with her hand still lingering on the door. 

_“How dare they? How dare…?”_

“Hello?” Zelda called, voice echoing in the otherwise empty hall when the voice went silent. There was no answer...but she took a few steps away from the door, hesitant and poised to flee if need be. 

All she could see, in the darkness of the hall, was yet another hallway - no person, no figure, nothing. Just shadow and old, neglected portraits, subjects hidden beneath the cracks spread from corner to corner on the aged canvas. 

_“All fading...all rotten…”_

It was coming from...behind her?

She spun on her heel, searching wildly for the voice, but she was only met with more harsh whispers. 

_“Nothing worthy of me -!”_

Something bursts down the hall, through the wall, and out of sight, faster than Zelda could even begin to process what she had seen. One of the old portraits rattled on the wall, vicious marks shredding the canvas - and when Zelda leaned in for a closer look, she realized that the eyes had been gouged out. 

Just like in her dream. 

The hairs stood up on the back of her neck. Despite the ruined eyes, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched…

Hastily, she backpedaled out of the hall, looking over her shoulder warily until she found the comfort of the guest room and locked the door behind her. The heavy, ominous feeling faded as soon as it clicked into place, and she sighed, determined to fall into her bed as she whipped off her shirt and tugged her pants down her hips. It was only when she went to dig in the dresser drawers for her nightclothes that she saw the parcel on its surface, making her pause and take a closer look at it. 

There was a tightly spiralled note atop it, addressed to Zelda, and...from the Countess?

She unfurled it, the scent of jasmine and lavender reaching her nose as she quickly read through the note that had somehow been left in her room without her notice. 

_Consider this an advance, dear Zelda. Wear it in good health, for it seemed to call your name._

“Wear it…?” She mumbled, quickly unlacing the ribbon and opening the box that had been left beneath the note. With a gasp, Zelda carefully removed the emerald pendant, chain slipping through her fingers as she held the jewel with the same care she’d hold the finest porcelain. 

As she held it, turned it over in her palms...she realized why the necklace felt so familiar. 

Asra’s magic radiated from the gem in gentle, soothing ripples, making her smile as she lifted it and pressed the jewel to her lips. Even if she didn’t understand why something of Asra’s would be at the palace...she was grateful to have something near. 

She quickly dressed and slipped under the covers, pendant carefully clasped around her neck and wrapped in her hand as she burrowed comfortably into the sheets. A flick of the wrist, and the lights in the room went out all at once, letting her drift into a peaceful slumber with Asra’s magic pulling her into a comfortable embrace before she dreamed.


	4. Lost Girls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 36 pages later...
> 
> Life happened, so this update took longer than expected, but here's to me getting my shit together so I can update again soon!
> 
> (Chapter Title: Lost Girls by Lindsey Stirling)

Zelda found herself on a path of black stone, wind ripping at her hair and rust-colored sand catching in the folds of her clothes. Thick clouds hang overhead, dark and ready to burst like the summer storms Zelda had become so fond of. But the world was tense, like a dam ready to break at the head of a river, destroying all in its wake with no chance for anyone to survive. 

A voice rang through her mind, familiar and achingly sweet, like a hand long forgotten laid gently upon her cheek.

_ The waking world won’t wait for you forever, child.  _

Desperately, Zelda searched the landscape, the taste of ash thick in her mouth as the wind howled in her ears. Her eyes burned, her mouth was dry, and there was nothing but a painfully empty world as far as the eye could see.

A flash of color caught her eye, a near pinprick on the horizon, and she took an impossibly large step closer as recognition began to swirl in her mind. It was impossible, wasn’t it? 

Asra couldn’t be here. Not really, anyway, though dreaming of him was familiar to her by now. She could see him so clearly at the fork in the obsidian path, hand laid upon the side of a massive beast she could not begin to name or even recognize, but...something felt so very  _ wrong _ .

If the previous step had been impossibly large, this one must have been impossibly small. She reached out, the wind rising to cover her voice as she called out to the magician.

“Asra?” 

The wind drowned out her words, leaving her to watch as the beast gave Asra a long, unreadable look before turning down the eastern path and into the tempestuous sea of sand. Asra watched it go before he turned on the heel of his boot, taking the first step down the westward path and sending a bolt of panic down Zelda’s spine. 

_ Hurry. _

She couldn’t explain it, she couldn’t name it, but the wrenching in her gut told her he was going the wrong way.

Words welling up in her throat, Zelda took a single step forward, shielding her face from the wind and sand with her arms as desperation tore its way from her lips and into the air between them. 

“Asra,  _ no _ ! Not that way!”

She broke into a sprint, racing through the wind and sand down the path that seemed to stretch ever onward as he continued down the stone. She felt as if she’d been running for hours, chasing his back before he paused mid-step - the distance suddenly closing and throwing them together, so close she could have reached out and swept the curls out of his eyes when his head turned to look at her. 

The world quieted as their eyes met, the pair windswept and sand beaten, and Zelda’s heart leapt high into her throat to beat wildly between ragged breaths. 

“...Zelda?” He whispered, and she could have wept at the notes of longing in his voice, leaning into his hand as he reached out. Her hand lifted, pressing his palm flat against her cheek as she held his gaze.

“I’m here.” She whispered, inhibitions gone with the wind as she turned her head and laid a kiss upon the center of his palm. She wasn’t sure where the words came from, but...she knew this feeling, deep down in her heart. “Come on, Asra. Let me lead this time.”

His eyes were wide with wonder as her fingers laced with those of his free hand, and as she felt his hand squeeze hers...everything around them dissolved and fell away.

It was a few days before in this dream, Zelda realized, watching her reflection in the glass display case as she dutifully polished it. Normally she wouldn’t at that point in the day, but someone had sneezed on the crystalline surface, and she would not be having that plastered to the case for the rest of the day. 

Nope. No chance in hell. Not even in her dreams would she let that slide. 

She heard the bell chime and set aside the rag in her hand, a service smile plastered onto her face as she turned, but it quickly melted into a genuine one as she realized it was Asra wandering through the door. He was wind-tousled, smelled like damp earth and fresh herbs, and his smile lit up the whole room as the door fell shut again. 

“Oh, Zelda, just wait until you see what the market had to offer today. A ship came in from Prakra, and it had plenty of fruits I thought you might like to try. And it’s been a good growing season - I’ve never seen the farmers’ stalls so full before.” 

He upended his bag on the counter and a rainbow of mushrooms, fruits, plants, roots, and vegetables came tumbling out, far more than she ever would have thought could have fit inside if he hadn’t charmed the inside of it. 

“And I may have spent some time in the forest.” Asra admitted, tone sheepish, and Zelda laughed as they both bent to catch the items that toppled off the edge. Zelda was giggling as she carefully stacked them and started to sort through them, keenly aware of Asra’s presence - exactly how he leaned on the counter, elbows propped up on the glass and chin in his hands and the look of delight on his face as she popped a blueberry into her mouth. 

“Asra, I don’t know if we’ll eat all this!” Zelda laughed, hand over her mouth to conceal her chewing. “Oh, you brought my blackberries! I was just thinking about making another batch of blackberry cobbler...and I think we have everything now to make that dumpling recipe you like…”

Asra shifted then, drawing her eye as he shrugged off his outer layers and dropped the empty bag off to the side. “I thought it would be better to have plenty. I didn’t want to leave you here with nothing but Selasi’s pumpkin bread to eat.”

“But I love his pumpkin bread.” She laughed, and without thinking, leaned in to press a warm kiss to Asra’s cheek before her attention returned to the bounty on the countertop. Zelda sorted them out for a moment, sufficiently distracted until she felt his hand on her chin. She let him turn her face up toward his, matching his smile as he offered her a blackberry from the container she’d set aside. 

“Want one?” He asked, his tone so light it made her heart flutter as she smiled. 

“Don’t tempt me, I will eat that entire box unsupervised.” She murmured, then leaned forward and accepted the blackberry from his waiting fingertips as he chuckled. It burst in her mouth, and she let out a sound of contentment, but her mind was elsewhere as she swallowed the fruit in question. 

Leave...that was right. This was the day she’d found out he was leaving on another trip. She’d wanted to speak up then, and she couldn’t really remember why she’d held back until the night he actually left, because now the words fell from her lips unbidden. 

“I want to come with you.” Zelda said suddenly, making Asra sigh and lower his gaze away from hers. She too looked away, turning back to the counter and rolling her lip between her teeth as she readied herself for the usual rejection, busying herself in the extended silence with gathering up the fruit and starting to put it away before Asra’s voice made her pause. 

There was...an honesty there, one that made her glad her back was turned, because she felt her face warm at the raw emotion that escaped him. “I know, Zelda. I wish I could, but...it’s just too risky right now.”

She felt his hand settle on her shoulder as she sighed heavily, frustration rising slightly at his words. It was always too far, too risky, but never for him. It always ended with her left behind, pining after him when his presence faded from the shop. 

Zelda set the produce down so she could face him again, his hand falling from her shoulder. Her hands lifted, gently cupping his cheeks, her thumbs smoothing over the softness of his skin as Zelda felt her face warm. 

“Then don’t go.” She pleaded, heart racing as the words she’d kept back for so long spilled from her lips. “Stay here. Stay with me, Asra.”

His hands settled on the sides of her neck, cradling her head as his searching eyes met her own. Zelda found herself enraptured by the intensity of his gaze, the light flush of his cheeks, the way his hands trailed slowly back down her sides to slowly settle on her waist. 

“Don’t go?” He murmured, leaning his forehead against Zelda’s as she closed her eyes. “I wish I could stay. Soon I won’t have to go anywhere you can’t follow, but...you’re still learning, Zelda. You’ve never travelled these paths before.”

She snorted, lifting her head from its place against his and gave him an unenthused look. “I just might, if you stopped being so cryptic and took me with you. How can I ever learn to travel these mysterious paths if you never  _ let _ me?”

Asra looked away for a moment before his hand threaded into her hair, bringing her close again as he pressed his face against the side of her head. The warmth of his breath on her ear sent a tremor down her spine, but if Asra noticed, Zelda was just grateful he didn’t pull away. “Even if I held your hand the whole way, Zelda, one wrong step could separate us, and it’d be a thousand times as dangerous trying to find your way back alone.” 

Zelda grumbled for a moment before she sighed, squeezing him close with her arms around his waist. “One day, then.” She said as she idly picked at a loose thread on the hem of his shirt. “I just wish I could go…”

Asra’s hands brushed down the bare skin of her arms as he turned his head, lips warm against her forehead. “So, you’re really serious this time, huh? It’s even harder to turn you down when we want the same thing - you want to come, and I don’t want to leave you. But…”

He cradled her cheek in one hand, giving her a bittersweet sort of smile as she looked up at him. “Sometimes we can’t have what we want, even when it feels right. I’ll bring back whatever you want, okay? Anything.”

Zelda’s brow furrowed as he took her hand in his free one, squeezing it in wordless apology. All she wanted was to be where he was...didn't he want the same? 

“I want _you_.” She whispered, meeting his gaze through her lashes as even in her dreams her cheeks burned a fierce red. If nothing else...she wanted to banish the doubts, so tired of the uncertainty between them in the waking world that her dreams had long since reflected that desire. 

She was so tired of trying to hide what she longed for most.

Asra went still in front of her, hands tensing, and his chest heaved with an unsteady breath as his forehead fell against hers. Zelda felt the heat radiating from his face, could make out the way he blushed - not pink, but vibrant and  _ delightful _ red - as his hands settled loosely on her hips. There was a long beat of pause as he toyed with the fabric of that lemon print scarf, bunching and smoothing and bunching in his fingers again before he finally broke his silence. 

“You do?” He whispered, and Zelda nodded slightly, brushing a few curls away from his face as he lifted his head. She was hopeful for a moment before he shook his head slowly, hands pulling away from her hips carefully. “I can’t...Zelda, I want you  _ safe _ .” Asra took a step toward the door, and mind reeling, Zelda snatched his wrist in one hand as her pained expression began to mirror his own. 

“Why can’t it be both?” She blurted out, feeling tears sting so hotly, so vividly, she would later wonder if she’d truly been dreaming in that moment. “I’ve never been anything but safe with you, Asra. No matter what happens, you’re always here for me, always caring for me, always making sure I’m okay no matter how far you go. And...you always come back to me.”

Zelda’s voice quieted, her gaze lowering to the floor beneath her stocking clad feet and her hand falling limply to her side again. “Was I naive to think that it was because you wanted me, too? Was I so stupid to think that I could be anything more than your student, always following at your heels like the way a dog trails its master?”

With a sniffle, she rubbed a hand across her cheek, wiping away her tears when she felt Asra’s hands join her own in drying the tracks on her cheeks. He tilted her head down and pressed his lips to her forehead, lingering for a long moment before meeting her eyes. 

“Of course I want you, Zelda.” Asra breathed, and for a moment, Zelda felt her heart stall in her chest as she realized the pained gleam in his eyes was not a trick of her own tear-filled ones. “But it’s not that simple. I can’t have you, not until I find the answers we both need.”

She huffed a shaky laugh as his fingers gently smoothed a piece of hair behind her ear, smiling wryly up at him. “You know you’re infuriatingly cryptic at the best of times, right?”

Asra chuckled and swiped his thumb across her cheek to dispel the last of her tears. “And you are so painfully,  _ wonderfully _ honest in your dreams.” 

Carefully, he reached into his sash, withdrawing an ethereal blue flower from its folds and smiling as he tucked it smoothly behind her ear. “You know, I’m always so eager to see you again, but...now I truly can’t wait. I’ll be home soon, I promise you.”

Gentle hands tipped her head, letting him press their foreheads together and nuzzle his nose against hers. His voice filled her mind with soft comfort and echoed with a promise she prayed was not merely a figure of this quickly fading dream. 

“Sweet dreams, my heart.”

Zelda groaned as she came to, rolling away from the sunlight that warmed her skin and burying her face into the plush bedding once more. But as much as she tried...she was wide awake. 

It seemed her dreams as of late would only become stranger and stranger, she mused, one hand finding the emerald pendant and bringing it to her lips to feel the tingle of Asra’s magic against her skin. First the phantom, now Asra...what next, flying bears?

Even still, she didn’t feel like she could brush this dream aside. It had felt so real, the emotions so raw...even now her cheeks were wet, as if the tears she’d shed in her slumber also fell down her cheeks as she slept. But was it foolish to believe that somehow, some way, she could take solace in that hope that perhaps he did truly care about her after all?

She rolled back over, squinting in the sun as her hand searched her bag blindly for Asra’s deck. The pouch seemed to leap into her hand at the mere thought of it, and she sighed, laying back on the bed as the cards passed through her fingers. 

As much as she wanted to linger on thoughts of Asra, she didn’t have the time right then. There was so much ahead, so many answers to find before the Masquerade was resurrected from the literal ashes of the deceased Count. And for Zelda to be investigating the matter, when she was perhaps the least qualified person in all of Vesuvia to do so?

A gentle pull tugged at her mind, and she paused in her shuffling, withdrawing a single card and turning it so she could see its face. The Moon, though its lupine visage gazed off into the distance, seemed to watch Zelda from its peripherals as her voice caressed her mind. 

_ Do not allow your own doubt to cloud your mind. You have always sought answers, always followed your curiosity and your inner voice with strength. Trust your intuition, and the smoke and mirrors that shadow the world will not lead you astray.  _

Zelda snorted, stroking her thumb down the Moon’s snout fondly even as she smiled wryly. “Easier said than done, isn’t it?”

_ You must forge your own way. To follow the path most clear is to -  _

A strangled, whining sound, and the Moon went silent, making her frown and examine the card closely. Was it just her, or did the Moon...have its  _ hackles _ raised now? The whole deck seemed deathly still in the way it all went silent, like slivers of ice where each card rested against her skin. It just seemed....wrong.

The door slammed open, making her fumble the deck, cards spilling across the satin duvet as Portia bounded into the room and threw the curtains open. Quickly, she gathered them up again, tucking the cards into their silken pouch before she gave Portia a sleepy sort of smile.

“Morning, Zelda!” She said, casting a grin over her shoulder as she busied herself with opening the intricate window panes. “There’s a lovely sunrise today. Did you sleep well? Good dreams?”

Idly, Zelda’s hand lifted to the emerald at her breast. “I did. And...yeah, good dreams.”

Something in her tone made Portia pause, and she turned, making a mischievous sort of expression with her brow quirked and her lips pursed in an attempt to contain a grin. “Something you want to talk about? That sounds like a different sort of good dream than I meant.”

Cheeks flushing, Zelda shrugged, swinging her legs over the side of the bed as Portia began to dig in the wardrobe across the room. “I think it was just...odd. I’ve never had a dream like it before, at least not that I remember...but still a good dream.”

Portia seemed to relax at that. “Well, a weird dream can still be a good one, so I’ll take it. You’ll need all the good things you can get.”

“Should I be afraid?”

“No, no, nothing like that. Breakfast will be served shortly, and the Countess asks that you bring your cards with you. So, one you freshen up and get dressed…”

The redhead laid the neat pile of clothing on the bed beside her, and Zelda smoothed a hand over the fabric, marveling at the way the colors shifted in the early morning light. After a moment she looked up, raising a brow at Portia’s sheepish face and the way she clasped her hands together. 

**“** I hope you don’t mind… I have explicit orders to make sure you’re not wearing the same thing you were wearing last night.”

Zelda blinked once, twice, then over to the clothes she’d worn up to the palace and winced. She hadn’t thought to lay them out, either, so they were all wrinkled...and she’d sweat like mad making the hike up to the palace. It certainly wasn’t a good impression to make on the Countess.

“Yeah, that’s fair.” Zelda mused, unfolding the article on top of the pile and beaming at the breezy fabric that met her eyes. 

“I’ll give you some privacy.” Portia hummed to herself as she scooped up the old clothes on her way to the door, making a mock disgusted face and giving Zelda a playful wink. “And I think I’ll take these for a wash.”

As quickly as she’d arrived, Portia left the room, leaving Zelda to shed the garments she’d worn to bed and tug on what she’d been sent - realizing with some mortification that somehow, Nadia knew some very personal measurements without ever having taken a tape measure to her. 

But the fabric was silvery, fluttering prettily around her limbs as she swayed, light enough to feel as if she wore nothing at all. It hung loosely from her shoulders, snug around her upper body, and transitioned easily into a pair of trousers that flowed around her legs. Giddily, she spun in place, smoothing her hands over her hips and taking a moment to confirm that yes, it did in fact flatter her ass as much as it did everything else. 

“I need to pay for a tailor when I get home.” Zelda laughed, searching for a pair of shoes and quickly shoving her feet into them before she grabbed her bag. A quick ponytail, the emerald looped around her neck, and Zelda set out the door - 

Only to be immediately snatched up by Portia as her arm looped around her own. 

“Ooh, don’t you look great! The Countess has a real eye for fashion, she’ll be so pleased to see this on you. But let’s not keep her waiting!” 

Heart swelling with confidence, Zelda had to fight back a grin, thanking Portia before she fell into step beside her.

The palace felt more welcoming that morning, staff bustling about with arms laden full of items Zelda couldn’t have begun to name. They waved at her and Portia as they passed, offering smiles that really did look genuine even if they were fleeting. When she’d felt nervous the night before, now she could feel her shoulders easing, feel her chest lightening, oblivious to their location in the halls until they entered the dining room itself. 

The Countess was already seated, Zelda realized, hand cradling her forehead until she seemed to notice she wasn’t alone. 

“Ah, good morning, Zelda.” Nadia greeted, still not quite looking up as she rubbed her temples. “I do hope you had a pleasant night’s sleep. Hello, Portia.”

It was then Zelda picked up on Portia’s unnaturally light step - she’d somehow crossed the room to an intricate golden contraption without the brunette even noticing. That made her feel both infinitely wary and impressed with the redhead as she sat, settling carefully as to not catch her jumpsuit on the seat itself.

”Coffee, milady?”

“Ugh, please.” The Countess groaned, and Zelda had to bite back a smile at the realization that she was definitely not a morning person. She watched as Nadia’s hands fell from her temples, folding neatly on the table before the full force of her gaze fell upon her.

But that look was warm, lightened by the smile that crossed Nadia’s face. “Ah, you wore the ensemble I sent down. My, my, the difference is astounding - one would hardly recognize you.”

Zelda’s cheeks burned, and her gaze lowered to her lap, a hand fiddling with the emerald pendant as she fumbled over her words. She wasn’t necessarily shy, but such forward attention from someone who seemed worlds above her threw her for a loop. “You’re too kind, milady.”

“Nadia.” She corrects, accepting the steaming cup from Portia and taking a sip from it. “And I do not flatter. You are quite lovely, Zelda, especially when in a color that flatters your tone. I’ll have to keep blues in mind for your next outfit...Portia, do you think navy or a more true blue?”

Portia shot Zelda a wink that made her ears burn, the latter very aware of the wicked delight in her eyes. “I think either would work, milady. You do have an impeccable eye.”

“Both would compliment her tones...oh, breakfast.”

Zelda found herself very grateful for the distraction provided by a sumptuous looking egg dish, which when paired with the befeathered chamberlain from the night before addressing Nadia, meant she could pull her shit together without having to worry about her desire to sink into the floor. It was delicious, she could easily admit that, but...her eyes lifted once, drawn to the painting that had captured her attention the night before. 

It felt like the goat headed figure was watching her, now more than ever.

Nadia’s voice rose slightly, not harsh, but firm, regaining Zelda’s attention mid bite of the dish in question. “Well, you may tell them that they have no choice in the matter.”

**“** Will that be all, your grace?” The chamberlain asked, and the Countess nodded once. 

“That will be all. Now then…Zelda. I understand that you have your cards with you?” Nadia asked, and Zelda nodded slowly, swallowing thickly as she pulled her bag up into her lap. 

Clearly, this pleased the Countess, as she smiled and gently patted the seat beside her. “Splendid. Please, come closer.”

Without ceremony, Zelda was promptly relocated to the seat in question, and she realized with a start that this was the closest she’d been to the Countess since their first meeting just a few nights before.

But Nadia seemed unbothered, wrapping both hands around the still slightly steaming mug of what she now realized was coffee. “Now, Zelda, I know we discussed the investigation a few nights ago, but...time is of the essence. In thirteen days, we will be celebrating the Count’s birthday, and as you know, preparations are well underway. I will aid you as best I can, but there are some things even I cannot provide you.”

Her gaze fell pointedly on the bag in Zelda’s lap, filling her with a desire to pull it closer, but instead forcing herself to retrieve the deck and place it carefully on the table under Nadia’s watchful eye.

“I do believe I missed the opportunity to have my fortune read when we met. Would you be willing to read them for me this morning? I am feeling rather fortuitous, I suppose.”

Zelda didn’t miss the interest in the Countess’s eyes, even when she lowered her hands and carefully began to shuffle the deck.

“I thought you thought magicians ‘peddled false miracles’, if I remember your phrasing.” Zelda dared to let a teasing note filter into her voice, and to her delight, the Countess blushed and looked down into her cup to avoid her gaze. 

“Curiosity, I suppose.” Nadia’s face turned apologetic. “Do forgive my words. I was...perhaps less than pleasant in my exhaustion.”

Zelda laughed, cards sliding easily through her hands, warm despite their strange behavior that morning. “Oh, I’m only teasing. It’s a fair and common opinion to have - I won’t take it personally.”

With a cheeky wink sent Nadia’s way, Zelda took a deep breath and turned the card that practically leapt to meet her fingertips.

“The Emperor.” She exhaled once, took another breath in, his voice filling her mind and making her throat tingle with the force at which he urged her to speak. “You plan to build on strong foundations, control your own destiny rather than follow the path laid out for you. He advises that you trust your experiences and those of others, because you can learn much from observing the consequences of your actions and those of the people around you. This is an undertaking that will not be easy, and you must be strong, but do not hold so tightly that nothing else can flourish under your hand. Trying to control too much in an effort to come out on top is a reflection of the chaos inside, an attempt to distract yourself from how powerless you feel when all is out of hand.”

There was a collective silence, no one daring to breathe, even the staff gone still with faces stricken as she looked up. Her eyes flickered over their wide eyes, Portia’s hands over her mouth, and...the all too pleased look on the Countess’s face. She lifted the card from the table and examined it with a curious eye. 

“I see. That is all very presumptuous of him.” Chuckling, she rose. The servants quiver with anticipation. “I would like to invite you to stroll. I trust you have no other engagements? There is something I would like to show you.”

She didn’t wait for an answer, breezing past Zelda to the door as she quickly gathered up her cards and tucked them into her bag. Only when she fell into step beside the Countess did she smile, but the rest of the room was still tense despite Nadia’s calm demeanor. 

“You’ll be pleased, I think. But, then again, you are more than I would have expected you to be. Portia?”

“Coming!” Portia calls, quickly falling into step at the Countess’s opposite side, and together they left the still-silent room behind.

Zelda realized, rather quickly, that Nadia’s steps were effortlessly swift. In her efforts to keep up, she found herself oblivious to their surroundings until they began to look somewhat familiar. Granted, for the few times she’d really been in the halls...she wasn’t sure if she could rely on that. 

She looked around as they traveled further, trying to find landmarks so she didn’t get lost, but knowing even before they reached their destination she probably would never be able to reach it on her own. 

Nadia stopped, so suddenly Zelda nearly tripped on her skirt before righting herself completely. 

“Well...here we are.”

The panel Zelda now stood before was easily three to four times her height, crafted of smooth wood in colors of rippled honey. The great tree carved into its surface was of dizzying intricacy, winding roots coiling around disappearing into the marble floor beneath their feet. Every leaf and every fruit was a jewel, precious stone, or mother of pearl, making the panel itself glitter and glow from every imaginable angle that dazzled Zelda with its beauty. 

She was so enraptured she didn’t hear the quiet exchange between Portia and Nadia, only noticing the former when she stepped up to the panel with a ring of keys in hand.

There were about a dozen of them, each the same wood as the panel, and each bearing a distinctly colored jewel somewhere on its surface. Zelda watched in intrigue as Portia found each hidden lock, keys fitting seamlessly into place in the panel despite their locations being outwardly completely random. As the last key turned, the roots of the tree began to unwind, pulling free from the floor as the panel folded upon itself like a paper fan. The room beyond was revealed in moments, and if Zelda’s heart hadn’t stopped before, it certainly had then.

A library. 

Asra had told her about places like this, told her that Vesuvia used to have a public library in the flooded district, that he’d take her somewhere one day so she could see one for herself - but she probably could never step foot anywhere else ever again and be perfectly okay with that. 

She could taste greenery and golden pages, smell aged bindings under floral perfume from the vases nearby, eyes overwhelmed by the sheer number of books before her. Books winding up the walls, reaching for the ceiling, crammed onto tables when the nearby shelves ran out of space. 

It took everything in her not to outright squeal and not immediately begin to pull things off the shelves. 

Nadia’s voice called her attention, thankfully providing enough of a distraction for Zelda to pull herself together. 

“I take it you read?”

Zelda let out a breathless sort of laugh, reaching out and tentatively trailing her fingers over the spines of the books on the nearest shelf. “Oh, yes, I love it. I just...I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many books in one place in all my life.”

Nadia was quiet for a moment before she stepped up beside Zelda, laying a light hand on her shoulder and giving her a half smile. 

“It is a great gift to read. Where I come from, it is shared by all citizens, regardless of their birth - but the skill is woefully uncommon here. I suppose you were taught by a relative? Or...your master, perhaps?” Nadia’s smile turned teasing, tone playful, making Zelda’s face pickle with heat. “Am I wrong? I’ve heard you two are very close.”

Somehow Zelda’s face reddened further, and she stammered awkwardly for a moment before she managed to spit out a quiet “I guess?”

Gods, she was going to die if Asra ever found out about that. She knew they were obviously close, but...she still had no idea how he actually felt, and him knowing her feelings would be downright mortifying. 

Portia took mercy on Zelda, despite the mischievous look on her face, winking cheekily instead as she spun the ring of keys around her finger. “Milady is in a teasing mood this morning.”

“Indeed.” With a smile of her own, the Countess nods, chuckling as she released Zelda’s shoulder and breezed further into the library. “Ah, my headache is lifting. This way, if you please.”

Zelda watched Nadia and Portia’s backs for a moment before she snapped out of her stupor, hurrying to follow as she took in the high shelves they passed through. Every new subject send her hands itching to open the books in question, from tall and crisp volumes on mathematics to broad leather atlases of lands she’d never heard of. And thinking of the years, the lifetimes of wisdom in this room...but books like that were worth more than anything she could afford to barter. 

“You know, Zelda…” Nadia said, making Zelda jump as she was pulled from her thoughts. “You  _ are  _ my guest. If you should like to return here, you need only ask. But for the moment…” The Countess stopped before an alcove, nestled neatly between the shelves ahead. “…I would like to have your undivided attention here.”

Cautiously, she stepped closer, peering around the bookshelf into the space before her. 

A tiny window cast slim rays of daylight across the surface of a desk, stacked with books, journals, and papers that filled nearly every inch of the surface in question. Scrolls were tucked neatly into the visible nooks, but despite the apparent clutter, everything seemed carefully organized, as if someone’s place of study had been frozen in time.

“Do you know why Doctor Devorak came to the palace?” Nadia asked, then shook her head without giving Zelda room to answer. “I suppose you would...your master was here for the same purpose. They were among many who tried to concoct a cure for the disease.”

Though outwardly Nadia had Zelda’s attention, internally, her mind was reeling as her blood ran cold. 

She could remember the last days of the Red Plague - in her books, it said it had swept through the city like wildfire, once, claiming young and old, frail and strong. There was no rhyme or reason to help predict who would be next to fall. Cases were near nonexistent now. She couldn’t remember the last time she saw the telltale red in someone’s eyes. 

“As you know, the Count and I called upon the city, to whomever might be of use in this search. Physicians, scientists, alchemists, witches...even fortune tellers. All were invited in hopes that their knowledge paired with our resources may aid in their research, with the understanding that the city and the court would be forever indebted to the person who found the answer. Perhaps he was plotting even then, but...the doctor accepted the invitation. As did your master.”

A strange shadow crossed Nadia’s face as her gaze shifted to the window, out to the willow and the fountain beyond. 

**“** While they toiled away in search of a cure, the palace provided everything they might need.” The Countess rests her hand atop one of the many texts gathering dust. “This desk belonged to the doctor. I have had its contents examined laboriously. Nothing of consequence has been found. But with such a volume of evidence, something may yet be hiding here. Something I may have overlooked. Perhaps you will have better luck than I in finding it.”

Her touch lingers on the cover of a well-worn tome. “Well then. Good luck, Zelda.” 

Nadia’s departure perfumed the air with the gentle scent of jasmine long after the intricate door panels folded back into their original shape, leaving Zelda alone with the doctor’s desk. 

“Well, here goes nothing.”

With a crack of her knuckles, Zelda started with the towering stacks of books, careful with those that were clearly threadbare in their bindings as she flipped through them before setting them aside. One particular tome, bound in leather and leafed with gold, caught her eye - clearly well loved in comparison to the others. A quick investigation revealed it to be a surgical guide, though she noted with some discomfort that some of the diagrams were stained with long dried blood. 

She quickly flipped away from the stains in question, some visceral curiosity compelling her to look further even as the hairs on the back of her neck rose with every illustration she glimpsed, but...there were notes here, too. Some of it was clearly frenzied and frustrated, completely indecipherable until she reached an illustration of a physician using a curled tool to bleed a patient. 

**_No,_ ** it read, dark and underlined several times in such a way that she laughed despite herself. 

Her attention shifted to the folios before long, loose sheafs of paper arranged neatly on one side of the desk. They’re a little gold with age, some of the ink a touch faded where the sun had beat in, but enough was there to realize that the majority of these were records. Dates, times, more impossible scribbles...but there were drawings, too. 

She lifted one to the light, following the meticulously drawn patterns, an itchy sort of feeling behind her eyes as she realized they looked familiar, like she should know them on sight...but she couldn’t place them, either. For all they looked like maps, that certainly didn’t seem right the more she thought about it. Carefully, she tucked one into her bag, trying not to fold or crease the delicate paper in hopes fresh eyes would help later.

Crouching beside the desk, Zelda tugged on one of the drawers, frowning when it resisted - the Countess hadn’t mentioned that the drawers would be locked. 

Zelda laid a hand over the drawer’s handle and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in before gently pressing her magic inwards. Asra had taught her a simple unlocking spell before, when she locked herself out of the shop for a few hours, but she wasn’t sure if she could get it…

“Ah-ha!” She shouted, yanking the drawer open when the lock clicked and quickly shoving down the giddy feeling at having gotten the spell right. 

Inside the drawer were several scrolls, paper soft and somewhat powdery to the touch. The scrawl was somewhat different...still hurried, still fluid, but more relaxed than his frenzied notes. At the bottom she could pick out a ‘J’...meaning this was most likely a letter of some kind. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the swathe of letters in an effort to make sense of them, but all she could pick up was ‘ _ dear sister _ ’ where it was addressed. 

“A sister...maybe she’s still here.” Zelda mused aloud, rolling her lip between her teeth. “Maybe she knows something about him…”

A sudden ratcheting noise had Zelda shoving the scroll back into its place, the drawer closing just as Portia’s smiling face peered around the corner.

**“** I hope I didn’t startle you, Zelda. There’s something going on out by the garden. The Countess is requesting your presence at once. Did you find anything interesting? Clues?” She idly picks up a paper, scanning the desk with a curious eye as Zelda shrugged. 

“Not really. I think I’d need more time to figure out how to read his handwriting. It’s...a lot to take in.”

Portia snorts, eying the first sheet on the pile of loose paper. “I’ll say. I wouldn’t worry, though, it’ll take some time to go through everything. You can try again later.” Looping her arm through Zelda’s, Portia pulled her away from the desk, still chatting as she led Zelda through the panel. “I’ve got the keys, so just come find me the next time you want to take a look. But for now, let’s go see what the fuss is about.”

Portia’s hurried pace brought them quickly to the veranda and through the doors, where Nadia had apparently been waiting. Silhouetted in the sun, she stood with hands clasped behind her back as she surveyed something not in Zelda’s line of sight in the garden down below. 

It was livelier, she realized, a symphony of birdsong echoing from every direction before Nadia’s equally melodic voice cut through the sound. 

**“** Forgive me for drawing you away, Zelda. I do not wish to obstruct your investigation. It just so happens that I was thinking about that fortune you gave me earlier.” Zelda frowned as Nadia turned, expression unreadably neutral as she continued. “Rumor would have it that I dislike fortune tellers. This is not entirely true. I only dislike those that profit by telling their clients whatever they want to hear...or by saying whatever they want to say. 

Well, that certainly felt like a scolding. 

“Milady, I’m sorry if my reading offended, that wasn’t my -” 

Zelda quickly cut herself off as Nadia raised a hand, her look pointed but light. “I am not accusing you, Zelda, I would merely suggest that  _ most _ fortune tellers in this city are fakes. And yet, I do feel that you are the genuine article. Though I cannot explain why. So I have devised a test - a game, really, to be sure you will be able to complete your tasks to the fullest.”

Her face split in a mischievous smile. 

Zelda began to doubt she’d enjoy this game much at all.

“If you win, then I will know your worth and question it no further. And if you lose… all the better for you, is it not? I shall dismiss you, and you need never set foot here again. Now then… let us summon your competitors. Portia, would you kindly call the prey?”

“The prey?” Portia seemed lost for a moment before her face lit up with understanding. “Oh! Oh, the outfits make sense now. Okay.”

Portia moves to the edge of the balcony. She took in a long breath, bringing her pinkies to her mouth, and unleashed a piercing whistle that made Zelda nearly clap her hands over her ears at the sheer volume. Slowly, she moved closer to the balustrade at Nadia’s beckoning, feeling her peet over her shoulder as she looked down into the garden.

Two figures emerged from the shrubbery as she watched, one energetic and one with obvious reluctance, dressed in fanciful cream costumes of a rabbit and a deer respectively. 

“The game is to hide and to hunt. Zelda, you will be the hunter. You need not hesitate - these two have volunteered to be a part of this game, and they will be your prey. You, down there, please remove your masks.”

The rabbit and deer carefully unfasten their masks, and Zelda couldn’t help the smile on her face as she nearly instantly recognized them. The guards from the bridge - Bludmilla and Ludovico, if she remembered right - each raised a hand in greeting, the latter far more enthusiastically. Zelda waved back before Nadia cleared her throat, drawing all of their attention once more with a relaxed smile. 

“Do you have any objections to the arrangement, Zelda?”

Slowly, Zelda shook her head, holding onto her bag a little tighter as Bludmilla and Ludovico replaced their masks. “If it makes you more confident in me, milady, I don’t see the harm in trying. But why am I chasing them in the first place?”

“A fair question.” Nadia mused, drumming her fingertips on the balustrade. “This morning at breakfast, I found myself considering the task before us. We seek to find one man in a city of thousands, a city where gossip moves more swiftly than we possibly could. Daunting, but not impossible. Fate has already drawn him back to town for us. But for what purpose, and for how long? Our window of opportunity may be quite slim.”

“I came to the conclusion that we must not pursue him without knowing exactly where to look. Easier said than done, of course. The doctor’s desk may very well hold the key, but how long before we find it? And then I thought…perhaps we might use what we have in another way. Perhaps we might use magic.” Her gaze fell upon Zelda, making her stiffen slightly as a knot began to form in her stomach. 

She really wasn’t sure she liked where this was going.

“Is it not possible that something in that desk holds meaning to the doctor? Something dear to him, an attachment that might linger to this day? Even a single leaf of paper may possess a tether to his soul, so that a magician need only follow it. And if that is indeed possible… is your magic refined enough to do it?”

Zelda tugged on her bag a little before she spoke, playing with a loose thread on the edge. “It’s...possible, certainly, but I’ve never used my magic for anything like that...:”

Nadia waved a hand, as if attempting to dispel her worries as they formed. “Worry not. This will be a learning opportunity. Each of your prey will be trying to evade you. Moving targets, as the doctor will be. They are allowed to hide wherever they please. Your goal, on the other hand, is to hunt one of them down.”

Well, Zelda liked those odds so far. 

“Specifically, the one carrying your Emperor card.”

And that sent Zelda’s heart slingshotting into her throat as Nadia gave her a patient smile. 

_ She couldn’t have...when did she... _

That morning, at the reading. Zelda realized with some horror that when Nadia had picked up the card to examine it, she never actually got it back. 

It wasn’t a bluff. She’d really given her Emperor card to one of them, and not hers, but Asra’s. 

A hot flush of panic coursed through Zelda’s veins, creeping up her neck toward her ears as she felt for the rest of the deck in her bag. To lose one of the Major Arcana had thrown the deck into audible chaos, and knowing how important Asra’s deck was to him, how strange it was in comparison to every other deck she’d laid her hands on....she was horrified at the thought of not being able to find that card again. 

She wouldn’t make this mistake a second time. 

“Well then. Do you understand the instructions? It is quite simple. Find the guard carrying your Emperor card before the day is out. So long as you can do this, I am confident you will be able to lead me to the doctor’s door.” She laid a hand on Zelds’s trembling shoulder, leaning in to speak softly in her ear. “Trust your intuition, Zelda. I have trusted mine, and it led me to you.”

The Countess glides to the balustrade, folding her arms over her chest. “You! Down there!” She called, and when she had their attention, she gave the guards a playful smile. “Run. Run as if capture meant your swift and certain death.”

The guards scramble to their feet. In a flash, they bolted in opposite directions, vanishing into the gardens in mere instants as Zelda watched. 

Nadia let out a light laugh. **“** Oh my. I do hope they know I’m not serious about that. And Zelda? You may pursue them at my mark. I implore you not to disappoint me.”

The sound of beating footfalls is growing farther and farther away. Swallowing hard, Zelda watched the wave of the Countess’s hand, dashing down the steps and into the garden as her voice carried into the open air.

“You have until dawn, Zelda. Do take care in the night.”

Portia’s voice, far more welcoming on Zelda’s grated nerves. “Good luck!"

Perhaps the doctor had the right idea - throttling royalty seemed quite appealing in the moment. 

Gravel scattered beneath her feet as Zelda slid to a halt, turning her head wildly to the left and to the right at a fork in the path. To her right, she could hear the snapping branches in the wake of Ludovico in his rabbit costume, and to the left...muffled footfalls, definitely Bludmilla’s, fading into the opposite direction. 

Knowing she likely would never have a chance to catch Buldmilla, Zelda bolted after Ludovico, relying on the sounds of branches and leaves rattling as he passed through them to keep him in her peripheral. The chase took her under a marble arch, foliage growing thicker and thicker as Ludovico dove straight into the bushes in hopes of losing her. 

Without a second thought, Zelda jumped into the rabbit hold behind him, leaves and thin branches snagging at her hair and clothes but impatiently brushed aside in her determination. 

She was getting that card back, and when she did, she would give the Countess a piece of her mind. 

...maybe. She’d only be at the palace a day, but she felt so far behind. Countess or no, Zelda didn’t enjoy being jerked around like a child’s plaything.

Up ahead, she could see light dappling through a break in the leaves. As she charged through to the other side, she only found herself in the maze - the one she could see from the balcony in her room the night before.

“Well, they aren’t going to make it easy on me.” Zelda heaved, wiping at the sweat beading on her brow, but she felt...energized despite the sprint she’d just made. She took a step forward into the maze, cool air wrapping around her ankles as she ventured into the shadows.

By the time she reached the fountain at the center of the maze, the sun had begun to wane toward the horizon, but she wasn’t really watching the sky - she was too busy looking at the subject of her current attention. 

Ludovico had pressed his back flat against the trunk of the willow, eyeing the two white hounds that slowly stalked toward him with hackles raised and teeth bared. And with her own dramatic tumble through the hedges...she had the attention of all three. 

The hounds went rigid, watching her warily, and Zelda slowly, quietly lowered herself to crouch at eye level with them. These were...the hounds from the night before, if she remembered right.

“Melchior?” She prompted gently, watching the larger dog’s ears swivel toward her curiously at the sound of what she presumed was his name. “Mercedes?”

The latter seemed to tense further, but when Melchior took a few long strides forward to sniff at Zelda’s extended hand, she seemed to relax, trailing in Melchior’s shadow lazily as his nose shoved under her arm and into her bag. With a laugh, Zelda pulled her arm away, watching his long nose disappear into her bag to nose around. “Hey, I don’t have anything you can eat in there, you know.”

Both dogs began to sniff her bag in earnest, nuzzling up against her sides with wagging tails as Zelda and Ludovico shared a single confused look. 

A tug at her bag had Zelda looking over her shoulder, meeting Mercedes’ eyes before the dog pulled at the strap of her bag again. Melchior sat back on his haunches, eyes wide and expectant as Zelda finally slid her bag from her shoulder. When the dogs began to whine, she began to rifle through her things - surely they didn’t want the documents from the library or Asra’s deck.

Impatiently, Melchior nosed the bottom of her bag, and the forgotten pomegranate Portia had given to her at their first meeting rolled into her palm. When it emerged from the bag, both dogs dropped, tongues lolling and jaws open wide in clear and frenzied excitement. 

“This is what you were after?” She laughed, digging her thumbnails into the stiff skin of the pomegranate. “All that drama for a piece of fruit.”

The pomegranate split in two with a quiet squelch, red juice already staining her fingertips as she rolled a half toward each of the hounds. They dove for them before they’d even really left her hand, wet shredding sounds and vicious bickering apparent as Mercedes attempted to steal the pomegranate half from Melchior after devouring her own. 

With the dogs sufficiently distracted, Zelda leapt to her feet, ready to make a grab for the rabbit-clad guard - 

Who was already gone.

“ _Shit_.” Zelda muttered, contemplating her next move for a few long moments before she felt the pair of hounds sidle up beside her.

Their narrow mouths staind gruesome red, they nudged at her thighs, eyeing her curiously with mismatched gazes as Zelda held up her hands. “I don’t have any more fruit, you two. Sorry.”

Mercedes huffed before they both trotted ahead, tossing glances over their shoulders every few steps and circling back just before they went out of sight. It took her a moment, but feeling Melchior nudge at her thighs struck her with the realization that the dogs very clearly wanted something from her, and they weren’t going to leave her alone until they got her where they wanted her to go. 

Well, it was a hunt, and they were hunting hounds...and she certainly could use some help. 

“Alright, you two.” She sighed, shoving her hands into the pockets of her somewhat dirty jumpsuit. “Lead the way.”

The pace the dogs set had Zelda jogging to keep up, following a winding path to what seemed to be the edge of the garden - where a great wall of lemonstone rose high over Zelda’s head. The dogs came to a halt on either side of an arch nearly completely concealed by the foliage, two clashing marble goats at its apex. As each dog took up position under a goat, Zelda was struck by an uneasy feeling, something telling her that she should not go through that arch no matter what the dogs seemed to be saying. 

A long, drawn out groan drew all of their attention to a narrow gate in the wall, tarnished and rusty and open just a sliver. The light pouring through was bright, and as she looked closer...she realized it had to be an exit from the grounds. 

How far out _was_ she?

As she took a single step toward the gate, the dogs’ fur bristled around their swan-like necks, as if ready to try and herd her away from the gate if she got too close. 

“Oh, relax.” Zelda grumbled, and the dogs immediately perked as she took a few steps toward the arch, mouths wide as they gave ragged pants of excitement. 

She was right about one thing - the arch felt wrong. A strange aura permeated the air around what was without a doubt another passage or portal like the goat statue she’d taken previously, sending chills down her spine and making her hair stand on end. Slowly, she moved around the arch, as if taking it all in, watching the dogs out of the corner of her eye as she reached the side of the arch closest to the door. 

She got as close as she could before turning on her heel and dashing for the open door, the dogs snarling and scrambling after her. Zelda could feel the air move as their mouths snapped shut just shy of her heels and she barrelled through the door, slamming it closed with a clang and a squeal of rusted hinges. She stumbled back as jaws and claws gnash viciously at the metal, noses shoving through the narrow bars of the gate, but it thankfully didn't budge. 

With a few deep, having breaths, Zelda slowly moved away from the gate, their barking echoing through the valley even as she moved out of their line of sight. 

Wind swept through her garments as she gazed out over the valley in the dying light of the sun. It was wild out here, so much less pristine than the palace gardens...with a grin, she tugged off her shoes, feeling the soft earth beneath her feet before she broke into a run down the hill. 

The grass whipped at her limbs, sweet smelling air filling her lungs with every breath as she felt - for the first time in many hours - really and truly free and the palace faded into the horizon behind her. 

By the time Zelda became winded, the sky had grown dark, evening air cool on her overheated brow as she made her way slowly back into the city. The rolling hills levelled out, silky gass turning sparse and giving way to dirt paths that blended into cracked cobblestones in an unfamiliar part of town. 

Well, she hadn’t necessarily accounted for her shit sense of direction. 

A weight settled in the pit of her stomach, but as she reached for the emerald pendant at her breast, an echo of Asra’s voice filtered through her mind’s ear. 

_ Start with your breath. Think only about your breath. Savor your breath, lead with your heart and be present. _

She could do this. She’d gotten lost enough times walking anywhere beyond the shop and the market, she knew this feeling, and she knew she always made it out okay. Asra’s voice gave her just the extra bit of calm she needed as Zelda swathed herself in a minor protective spell - not one that would hide her, but one that would at least let her travel unbothered. 

The alleys of Vesuvia were as maze-like as the palace gardens, she mused, resisting the urge to pet any of the spindly cats she came across as they picked through piles of oily fish bones. In turn, they paid her no mind, inky forms gliding between her feet and ankles as she followed the sound of rushing water.

The dull roar led her to a narrow, slippery street. Shabby and cracked cobbles were layered like scales, water pooling in the uneven surface. Clustered apartments line the passage, shutters thrown wide, conversation and squabbling and quiet tunes spilling into the thick night air. It felt...familiar, almost, but she couldn’t recall ever being this far away from the market or the shop before. 

A door suddenly swung open before her, casting warm light down three worn stone steps and pulling her from her thoughts. The music grew louder as boots clipped jauntily down the stairs, prompting Zelda to quickly stumble back and around the corner to avoid being seen. 

“Oh, I’ll be back. Just stepping out for some air.”

When she got a good look at the person, it felt as if the muscles in her legs liquefied from her own nerves. It was unmistakably, undeniably the man who’d broken into her shope, the man she’d been hired to track down and interrogate on behalf of the Countess in search of the truth. And she’d found him, albeit unintentionally, watching his back as he swept long fingers through his hair and took in a deep breath of the passing breeze. 

Heart pounding in her chest, Zelda watched until he disappeared back in the tavern, too frozen in shock to know what the hell to do with herself for a few moments after he was gone from sight. But...she knew where he was. She had a chance to speak to him on better footing, and maybe, just maybe...she could figure something out. 

Squaring her shoulders and smoothing out her ponytail, Zelda took the few determined strides she needed to carry herself around the corner and up to the door of the establishment. For a moment she looked at the painted raven lounging on a faded crescent moon, flagon in taloned feet, knowing that once she crossed the threshold there really was no such thing as turning back from what she’d walked into. 

Well, she was nothing if not persistent.

Zelda slipped unceremoniously through the door, green eyes searching for the man she’d just seen - having to do a double take at the shade of red hair that was quickly becoming familiar to her. His back was to her as he leaned on the counter - chatting with the barkeep as if he wasn’t a wanted criminal - but his lack of awareness to her presence gave her the confidence she needed to stride up to the space beside him. She dropped her bag onto the counter beside him, some items inside it rattling together and making Julian jump visibly as he turned to look at her. 

There were a few beats of pause where they just...looked at each other, unsure of what to say, before Zelda blurted out the first coherent thing that came to mind in all of this.

“You didn’t let me finish your reading.”

Julian stared at her for a good, long few moments longer, clearly bewildered as he grasped for a similarly coherent sentence. 

“You’re...you’re the shopkeep.” He managed, clearing his throat before he continued. “Came all this way to finish a reading, did you? Can’t imagine you have something new to tell me.”

Zelda raised a brow, arms folding over her chest as the barkeep’s eyes darted between them both. “Might I say, you’re the worst fugitive I’ve ever seen if it took so little effort to find you when I wasn’t looking.”

“Ah, but you’ve heard of me.” Julian grinned before he sobered, glancing warily over his shoulder before his voice lowered. “And last I heard of you, miss, you were bound for the palace, so what brings you all this way to this neck of the woods?”

“A rabbit.” Zelda grumbled, ignoring Julian’s perplexed look before she looked at the barkeep with a sheepish sort of smile. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I’ve ever had a drink outside of home before. Do you have any suggestions…?”

The barkeep eyed her for a moment - and she surely looked a state, she mused as she plucked a leaf from her hair - before he smiled broadly at her as if pleased with whatever he found. “Barth. And I’ll get you something. How do you feel about blackberries?”

“Love them.” She said with a smile, and as Barth turned to pour the drink in question, she nodded toward a booth nearby before meeting Julian’s gaze. 

“I’d like to talk to you, but maybe not right here.”

Julian looked over her shoulder, down to the dirty knees of her pants and the thin scratches on her arms where she’d pushed through the branches earlier, up to the twig still caught in her hair that he carefully removed - and then he chuckled, flicking the twig away to land somewhere she couldn’t see. “Alright, but I do think I’ll buy this round. You look like you need a drink. I do owe you for the reading.” 

“Oh, really? Even after the champagne bottle?”

Devorak laughed, clapping a hand against Zelda’s shoulder. “Well deserved. I must say, it’s an investment I might make should I have the chance. I don’t think I’ve ever been hit that hard.” He ruffled her hair, and Zelda huffed a light laugh before she nodded, watching him in her peripheral as she slid into the booth. She began to dig through her bag for the documents she’d taken from the library, only getting a few moments to look over it before Julian placed a glass on the table in front of her. 

“Oh, what’s this?”

She looked up as she reached for the glass, seeing Julian’s gloved hand gently lowering the curled edge of the paper in question, but her own tension had her leaning away to keep the scroll out of his grasp as he sat across from her. 

He blinked once, twice, before his eye settled on the paper with clear intrigue. “That...is that mine?”

She watched him warily, unsure of how to approach the topic even after inviting him to sit. Her curiosity had compelled her to take it in the first place and he was the only one who could truly explain it...but would he be willing to reveal the contents to her in the first place?

As she contemplated, Julian reached out, plucking the scroll from her grasp and pushing the glass toward her instead at her indignant expression.

“Hey!”

He ignored her outcry, gaze focused on the page. “Where did you find this?”

When Zelda reached for the paper, he leaned away, long limbs used to his advantage as he scanned the page with clear interest. She huffed, carefully picking up her glass and taking a tentative sip from it before she spoke. “Your desk.”

“My desk?”

“In the library.” When he blinked in confusion, Zelda raised a brow. “...at the palace.”

Julian flinched, to Zelda’s surprise, as if the words had somehow physically struck him as she said them. “Oh, yes. My desk in the library. At the palace. Little window right above it.”

As Julian fell quiet, Zelda took another sip of her drink, pleasantly surprised at its taste. True to Barth’s word, it tasted like blackberries, as well as another fruit she recognized but couldn’t name beyond knowing it was sweet and tart all at once. It was refreshing, a touch sweet, and fizzed on the way down, prompting her to take another sip to sooth her parched throat. 

The doctor slowly lowers his stein to watch her drain her cup, eye gleaming brightly in the warm light. “Look at you, you’re dry as a bone.” She paused, flushing, but he waved a hand before he brought his stein back to his lips. “Drink, drink.”

A few more desperate gulps and it was gone. While she tried to discreetly wipe her mouth, the doctor slid his stein aside, leaning in with a playful sort of grin on his lips. “I’d say this is a far more pleasant encounter, wouldn’t you?”

Zelda snorted, tracing a finger around the rim of her empty cup. “Given I’ve yet to break my cup on your face, I’d say so, yes.”

He laughed and offered his hand, which Zelda took, refusing to be intimidated by the strength of his grip. There was a look of amusement mixed with admiration in his eye, which sent a tremor of fluttering pride in her chest that bewildered her in its appearance. 

After a moment he leaned back, bringing the stein back to his mouth and propping one foot up beside him on the seat. 

“You know, at first I thought you might have come for me. On behalf of the palace, of course. But I’m not wearing any chains yet, and you’re covered in burrs. Now I may be projecting, but… I’m sensing that you’re on the run.”

His knowing look made her bristle. No one was paying them any mind, but she was still sorely tempted to cover his chatty mouth. Chuckling, he reached past her ear and pulled yet another bramble from the hair at her shoulder. “Escaped from the palace… down the southward side? Ah, we have so much in common already. Do you have anywhere to go? Back to the magic shop?”

Zelda nearly shot upright at the mention of home, but Julian raised a cautionary finger, tutting under his breath. “Oh, but that is the very first place they’ll look. I can still tell you how to get there, but…”

Zelda cut in somewhat eagerly, watching as the doctor drained the last of his drink. “You can?”

“You bet I can. But first, I’d have to take another look at that document.”

A painless trade. She handed over the scroll, and he spread it flat across the table, but its contents stole the smile from his face and sobered him completely. He leaned over the page, frowning in concentration at the map-like, winding patterns that drew her in once again. Slowly, she found herself leaning over the scroll for a closer look, tracing a finger idly over the lines until she felt Julian’s eye on her. She quickly looked away, face prickling with heat as she picked at a knot in her hair.

“You’re very interested in it.” He said quietly, and she shrugged, gaze lowered to the drawing in question.

“It looks familiar.”

That seemed to surprise him, and he peered down at the picture as if looking down a bottomless pit. “Oh. Well… this is a slice of, ah… of a human brain.”

Zelda’s eyes went wide as Julian tentatively traced the weaving trails. “That’s… they call that the ‘grey matter.’ Makes up most of the organ… The coils are unique, actually, to each individual.”

“How many individuals?” She dared to ask, so quiet she wasn’t sure she said it out loud. 

“Beg pardon?” Julian asks, curiosity clear in his voice. 

Zelda met his eyes, and by the way he stiffened, she supposed she was making a less than pleasant face. “How many individual human brains have you seen sliced like this?”

“I wish I could tell you.”Julian steepled his fingers and rested his chin on his thumbs. His expression was ghastly, haunted with something she would never truly know before he shook his head and changed the subject. “There are other drawings, aren’t there? At the palace?”

She nodded, and he drummed his fingers on the table in clear distress. “Well, you’d better put that one back. Trust me, they’ll notice that it’s gone.”

As if he couldn’t stand to look at it a moment longer, he rolled it up and pushed it back toward her. Carefully, Zelda took it and stowed it away, and for a moment she wondered if the page itself felt heavier after his ominous words.

Julian stood, giving Zelda a tight smile. “Excuse me.”

Whisking away their empty glasses, Julian headed back to the bar, and she let out a long breath as soon as he was far enough away not to hear it. 

Zelda had no more answers than before, she mused, but certainly more questions than she’d have thought. If Julian hadn’t seemed so shaken by the drawing, she might have asked him more questions, but...she was afraid he’d run if she pushed him too much. 

Shrill bickering drew her attention to a table of card-playing old women, spectators throwing their hands in the air as the conversation exploded around them. Julian only made it halfway back to the table before he was accosted at the card game, wrist snatched by a withered hand to tug him closer. After a few moments of deliberation, he leaned in, whispered to the crone in question, and tapped a single card in her hand. Triumphantly, she played the card, and the crowd was thrown into chaos as Julian ducked away just shy of someone spilling their drink on him. 

He chuckled as he sat across from Zelda again, sliding her refill across the table. “You would think I’d know better than to get involved with politics.”

Zelda couldn’t help but smile as she raised the glass to her lips, inclining her head to the crowd beyond their boot. “Looks like you’re not at all worried about being seen.”

As Julian took a long swig of his drink, she idly wondered how many he’d had before he spoke. “Here? Nooo. No, I’m not too worried. Folks around here aren’t known to, uh, oblige the wants and wishes of the palace. Even the raven spends his time scouting for guards. Obsessively. Matter of fact, where is he?”

Julian scanned the shadowy rafters while Zelda processed that information, honestly a little surprised at that revelation. Where she and Asra lived, palace guards were treated with reverence - and fear, in no small measure. They ate as they pleased in the market with no expectation of payment…

_ …wait a minute. _ “The guards come around here often?

Julian shrugs and swigs from his drink. “Only every night or so. I imagine they’re not a problem back home for you.”

“No, I...don’t really get out much.” Zelda frowned, glancing toward the door she’d come through shortly before as a touch of anxiety rippled down her spine. “Should you even be here? You are technically running from them, after all."

He grimaced, reaching out and tentatively patting her hand. “No, no, it’s fine. We’ll know if they’re coming. Like I said, there’s always that rave-”

As if on cue, a raven burst through the window, haggard as anything as it flew in spirals with guttural shrieks. Julian rolled his eyes dismissively before the bird beat itself against a string of bells, sending the tavern into a different sort of chaos as the barkeep cupped his hands around his mouth to be heard. 

_ “Guards! Palace guards!  _

As patrons clawed their way out of every door and window, playing cards tossed and fluttering in the air, Julian bodily scooped Zelda out of her seat and rushed her out the back door into the alley. 

The night air was cold, making her shiver as the doctor cast a glance up and down the alley before crowding her into the shadows. “Go back up that road, take a left, a right, a  _ sharp _ right and you’ll reach a round street. It’s long, but it’s a straight shot and it’ll take you as far as the marketplace. From there… You’ll be able to find your way, yes?”

Quickly, she nodded, nerves aflutter as Julian clasped her around her upper arms to lead her to the mouth of the alley. 

“Up the road, left, right, sharp right. Round street. Good luck, Zelda.”

When he released her, she stumbled into the road, oil-slick rats disappearing into the gutters as the last apartment shutters locked overhead. A last glance to the alley revealed that the doctor was already gone - something quite typical, she realized - and in the blink of an eye, the street went still, and she was the only living thing in sight. 

Mind reeling, Zelda bolted up the road from whence she came. 

_ Left...then right. _

Spectral alley cats scattered to the shadows as she whipped past. The path was broken and winding, growing narrower and narrower, so tight the walls nearly brushed her shoulders until she reached a very sharp right she almost slid past. And it led to a round, open street...that had to be it. 

Her pace slowed to a jog, exhaustion beginning to catch up to her for all her running that day. She knew she should be wary of the guards - Asra always told her they wouldn’t bother her if she kept herself out of trouble - but this was the first time she’d ever felt true fear. 

She felt like a doe trying to outrun the huntsman. 

So lost in thought, Zelda tripped over someone’s knees, and helpless to stop herself she collapsed atop them in an ungainly pile. She reeled back as soon as she could, readying herself to spout a thousand apologies...only to meet Ludovico’s eyes through the cream rabbit mask he wore. 

They sat there for a moment, Zelda wondering how in the hell they found her - or how she found them - before Ludovico smiled up at her sheepishly, caged under her lesser weight. “Hi, Miss Zelda.”

Both their heads whipped to the side as the door of a stationary carriage swung open...and Portia emerged from within. Their eyes met, and Portia’s expression melted into shock, her hands falling loosely to her side. 

“Oh my god.” She muttered, and as Zelda slowly shifted off Ludovico to help him up, she could hear the Countess speak up. 

“Portia? Is everything alright?” Nadia asked, peeking out of the carriage before her ruby stare fell upon Zelda. Blinking at a hummingbird’s speed, it seemed even the Countess was at a loss for words for a few moments. “Where on earth did you come from, Zelda?”

“What? What was that sound?” The Countess peeks out of the carriage, and her lovely red stare falls upon me. She blinks at a hummingbird’s speed. “Zelda! Where on earth did you come from?”

“I just…” Zelda raised a hand vaguely toward the alley, honestly too lost in the situation to really form a coherent sentence. “...dropped in, I guess.”

Nadia’s lips curled into a disbelieving smile. “Uncanny… why, we only just arrived. I agonized over choosing the right spot to hide. And we had finally,  _ finally  _ settled on this one… Ludo, take the reins. We will be returning early.”

The guard shuffles to the front of the carriage, eyeing Zelda in wonder as Portia helped her inside the carriage. Dazed and exhausted, she settled into the plush interior. The Countess eyed her in obvious delight. 

“It is extraordinarily rare that anyone should exceed my expectations, Zelda. I apologize for what must have been a most tedious trial to a magician of your prowess.” The Countess pulls a silken pouch from her waist and passes it carefully to Zelda, who immediately sat upright. Quickly, she pulled the drawstring, silk falling away to reveal an unharmed Emperor card. As if in recognition of its presence, the rest of the deck practically began to sing as it was reunited with its sibling.

“I can only wonder… if you are the apprentice, how proud the master must be.”

Though Zelda knew she’d somehow won, she felt the words bubbling up in her throat before she could stop them. 

“All due respect, Countess, but the next time you want to test my abilities, I’d prefer you ask. I came to help, not to be jerked around like a plaything. I understand you don’t really know me, that you don’t trust me just yet, but I think I deserve at least that modicum of respect.”

The carriage was silent for a long moment as Nadia flushed, reaching out to carefully lay a hand on Zelda’s knee as Portia watched with wide eyes. 

“I apologize, Zelda. You have been most cooperative thus far - perhaps I assumed too much today. I did not consider your lack of objection might have been due to a feeling of a lack of choice. You are free to speak here, Zelda, I don’t want you to feel as if you must obey my every whim if it crosses a line.”

Zelda sighed, laying a hand over Nadia’s with a timid smile. “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I know this is a lot going on, and you want to make sure it’s done right, but this is so far out of my realm. So much has changed in the last...what, twenty-four hours? Gods, it feels so much longer than that. I think I just need to decompress tonight before I try and revisit anything...if that’s okay.”

Nadia seemed to visibly relax, giving Zelda a genuine smile. “Of course. Dinner awaits us at the palace...and a bath, if you will agree to it.”

With a blush and a nod, Zelda folded her hands neatly in her lap, feeling the tension melt away from the space as she closed her eyes. “I’d like that. Thank you, Nadia.”

This business with the Countess...they were fated to meet, it seemed, and fated to see it all through. That was the only explanation she had for being able to find them by chance like that. 

The carriage lurched to action, and with sharp, echoing hoofbeats, they departed from the gloomy street. 

The palace loomed over the carriage as they approached, a while monolith against the twinkling night sky. At some point Zelda had dozed off, the gentle sway of the carriage too seductive for her exhausted mind, only awakened when it rolled to a stop. Yawning, she took in the comfortable silence, seeing the Countess turned toward the window with a serene smile. 

Zelda hardly made it two steps from the carriage before a pair of handmaidens swept her up, leading her through the halls and past her guest quarters to a bathing hall. 

She couldn’t muster the energy to protest or be embarrassed as they stripped her down, ushering her into the large marble tub. Zelda sank into it with a groan, settling into the floral-scented bubbles and letting the day’s tension and filth melt away. 

She didn’t notice Portia until she cleared her throat, waiting expectantly in the doorway with a glittering bundle in her arms - Zelda could pick out hues of burnt sienna and rich tyrian purple. 

“Milady is waiting for you in the dining room. She’d like you to wear these.” Portia tossed her a cheeky look and set the new outfit on a tiled bench against the far wall. After a moment, she slips out of the room, leaving Zelda to her thoughts and the softly sloshing water.

It took probably a good half hour before Zelda had the energy to leave the tub, padding across the luxurious bathroom to the bench, water dripping in her wake before she toweled herself off. Once she was dry, she ran her palms over the ensemble Portia had brought, noting with some amusement that her previous attire was already gone. 

As Zelda slipped it on, she realized it was a heavier silk than the last, but still perfect for the night air - fluttering prettily against her freckled skin as she twirled in the mirror. A little bit more preening and a handy spell had her hair dry in moments, and though she still felt tired, she felt a little more energized than before. 

Portia was waiting outside the bathing chambers, fingers tapping a jaunty rhythm on the wall before she addressed Zelda. “Sooo, you took quite a little trip into town today, huh? Meet up with anybody special?”

Zelda’s startled expression made her snort with laughter, and Portia clapped a hand on her shoulder while stifling her giggles with her other palm as they walked. They made it to the dining hall rather quickly, faint echoes of music spilling out, and when the grand doors opened, they revealed an expansive feast piled high on the table. Of all of the sumptuous smells and spices, she could only recognize saffron before her senses became completely overwhelmed 

Nadia smiled broadly as Zelda approached, settled comfortably in her seat. “Hello, Zelda. Did you enjoy your bath?”

“I did.” She answered, accepting a glass of a pale rose colored beverage as she settled into her seat. “It’s just a little bigger than the one at home.”

“I suppose it might be.” Nadia’s laughter was like a chiming bell in Zelda’s ears, melodic and comforting, and she raised her glass in a toast. “To you, Zelda, for you have exceeded my highest expectations. I look forward to the coming days of this friendship and this partnership between us.”

Nadia drained her glass in one fluid motion as Zelda took a sip, delicate floral taste reminding her of the scent of the Countess’s perfume. 

“How are Bludmilla and Ludovico?” Zelda asked after a moment, tracing a finger around the rim of her glass. “They surely had a longer day than I.”

Nadia waved a hand, lips curling up in a smile. “For being such admirable sports, I gave them the night off. And tomorrow, should they wish it. The three of you all worked hard, and while I wish I could give you the same luxury...tomorrow, we have work to do.”

“Should I be scared?” Zelda snorted, and Nadia laughed again, shaking her head. 

“Not at all. My courtiers have agreed to meet tomorrow - they are most eager to make your acquaintance. And I have no doubt they will find you as charming as I have these last few days. But I must warn you, they will want to know everything about you, so choose wisely what you wish to tell.”

Zelda nodded slowly, stomach in knots as she realized that things were truly beginning to swing into motion. The ways of the court were entirely foreign to her, but the Countess would be there, and she had no doubt that Nadia would ensure that Zelda would not be too much of an embarrassment - if for no other reason than to preserve her own reputation. 

“In addition, Portia and a retinue of our loudest staff will be going to town tomorrow to announce the return of the Masquerade. Once the townspeople hear, work will spread on its own, and then it will be out of our hands. All we can do is ensure we focus our efforts on finding the truth - and if the truth is what is believed...the doctor will hang for all who wish to see.”

Zelda thought of Julian, bathed in the welcoming light of the tavern, before the image morphed into the thought of him hanging from the gallows. Her heart felt like ice at the thought, but she carefully schooled her face to avoid showing it. 

Nadia sighed and shook her head. “But these are tomorrow’s matters. Tonight, Zelda, I have questions.”

A little wary and a lot curious, Zelda met Nadia’s gaze, tilting her head slightly as she spoke. “Questions?”

With a laugh, Nadia took a sip from her newly refilled glass. “Yes. I wish to become familiar with you. We will be working very closely, after all.” 

Though she wasn’t really expecting the interest, Nadia’s questions were simple enough for Zelda to answer - how she enjoyed the town (she loved the market most), her daily goings on (the shop, mainly), her favorite thing to eat (blackberry cobbler) - and in turn, asked her own questions to learn a little more about the Countess. 

“Have you ever had spiced swordfish?” Nadia asked, clearly content to talk about her favorite dish rather than something heavy for a change. “It’s quite delicious.”

Zelda shook her head. “No, I don’t think I have. I didn’t get out much until recently. “

Nadia seemed to take it in stride. “I suppose that shouldn’t be a surprise. In Prakra, it’s a summer dish - I’d hardly choose to suffer a warm night without it. 

Prakra was...a vast empire in the north, if Zelda recalled correctly, and the Countess’s home. She’d always been curious to go, and she wondered briefly if Asra might have been before, and what stories he’d be willing to share, but her attention quickly snapped back to Nadia as she spoke. 

“The kitchen does try to humor my requests, but alas, they can never seem to spice it quite right.” She looked back at her with a wry smile and lifted her drink to her lips once more. “I am quite enjoying our talk, Zelda, but I admit I do not savor the audience.”

She casts her gaze about the dining room before rising slowly. “I wonder if you would like to join me on the veranda for a nightcap? Just the two of us.” Nadia extends a hand, waiting expectantly, and Zelda took it with a nod and a smile that Nadia returned with equal energy.

A cool breeze greeted them on the balcony, stars bright in the vast sky overhead. It’s just Zelda and Nadia on the balcony - no servants, no audience, just the birds and the breeze to keep them company in the quiet. 

“Please, have a seat.” Nadia says, gesturing to the plush chair, pouring them both a glass of pale liquid from a crystal decanter. “You know, elderflower cordial is one of my favorites.”

A brief pause as they both sip from their glasses - Zelda more tentatively, as she was starting to feel a little buzzed from the several she’d had over the course of the night - before Nadia spoke up again. 

“You are...quite different from how I imagined you to be. I will admit, your presence is quite intriguing.” Somehow, the words made Zelda feel at ease and nervous all at once. In town...there were whispers that she was a tyrant, but the woman in front of her seems genuine, kind, and dare she say it -  _ lonely _ . “Tell me, Zelda...why did you come to the palace? Why agree to help me?”

Zelda contemplated that for a moment, swirling the cordial in the glass, before her gaze lifted back to Nadia’s. “It felt right.”

“It felt right?” She echoed, her expression betraying her surprise before she turned her gaze to the garden. “I see...so you were following your intuition. How nostalgic.” Nadia brought a hand to her chest, her gaze fixed on the greenery below. “The heart can be quite a valuable tool, if one listens to it. It makes me wonder…”

Her ruby gaze returns to Zelda’s green. “What else has that heart of yours said about me, Zelda? Perhaps we can discuss it in more detail at a later time. Do you have any more questions for me? Know that you are free to speak in my presence.”

A lot of questions wouldn’t begin to cover it, but if she asked them all then, they wouldn’t ever leave the veranda. For now, all she wanted to know was...

“Why _me_?”

It was still hard to understand why Nadia wanted her to come to the palace, a mere magician’s apprentice, and why she’d put so much faith in her so soon. 

Nadia seems unsurprised by the question as she sets her glass aside. “A prudent question, Zelda. You’re wise to wonder at my motives. When I came to your door, I was looking for an answer. I thought you might have been it. And thankfully...my dreams led me true.”

Nadia shook her head slightly, a light flush dusting her cheeks. “Were you frightened to see me, I wonder? You certainly seemed startled. But you have nothing to fear from me, I assure you. I have no patience for the swindlers who prowl the market, preying on weak and weary souls, but what I feel from you is different. It’s intriguing. And promising.”

Taking one of Zelda’s hands in her own, Nadia brushed her fingers over her palm, tracing the lines there as she looked up with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “I do not think you will disappoint me.”

Zelda took that in, then let out a deep breath as the silence fell over them. 

“If I may truly speak freely…” She began, Nadia’s eyes fixed on her face. “I am flattered to have your faith. I understand wanting answers - I often find myself lacking in them. But for what it’s worth, your highness...I think you’re underestimating your role in this, too. I can only do so much alone, so much without your help, and while I know you certainly have a full plate ahead of you...I would greatly appreciate whatever assistance you would be willing to provide me.”

With a chuckle, Nadia raised Zelda’s hand to her lips, placing a chaste kiss against her knuckles. “You candor continues to be endearing, Zelda. I admire that about you - do not let anyone take that away from you.”

Releasing Zelda’s hand, she picked up a small silver bell, handle carved in the shape of a swan’s neck. “You have had a long day. I won’t keep you any longer. Thank you, Zelda, for the pleasure of your company.”

The door to the veranda opened immediately as Nadia rang the bell, Portia bustling in with a smile as she approached. “You rang, milady?” 

“I did. Please escort Zelda to the guest room.” 

“Of course, milady.” Portia says, and Zelda could have sworn Nadia winked at her before she left. 

Portia is quiet on the walk back, but no less energetic, a bounce in her step all the way to the door of the guest room. Zelda realized when she entered that someone must have come by to tidy up during the day - a fresh pitcher of water on the desk, incense burning by the open window, filling the room with hazy swirls of wood and spice. 

“Portia...what happens if I capture the doctor?”

The redhead seems to jump at the question, but she sighs heavily. “I...don’t know. Milady is unsure of the night everything happened, but the courtiers are insistent on his guilt, so...unless you find something saying otherwise, the execution will continue as planned.”

Zelda watched as Portia smoothed a hand over a few papers on the desk - the ones she’d taken from Julian’s study - and raised a brow. “You seem concerned.”

Her face flushed slightly, but she only shrugged. “Concerned? Me? Maybe. It’s just… I don’t know, he’s not the only suspect, right? Sure, many people loved the Count, but… Just between you and me… I think Count Lucio had a lot of enemies, too.”

That caught Zelda’s attention. “Enemies? Do you know who?”

Portia shook her head, running her hands down her shirt. “I wasn’t employed at the palace when it happened. I’ve only heard rumors of what went on that night. Just… keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious, alright?”

She grinned at her, and Zelda couldn’t help but grin back at the redhead - her smile was infectious. Portia sighed after a moment, hands clasped behind her back and rocking slightly on her heels. “But, I’ve kept you long enough. We’ve got an early morning tomorrow, so you’d better get some sleep.”

Portia pauses just as she’s about to leave, spinning on her heel. “Oh, right, I almost forgot! Milady wants you to join us in town for the announcement tomorrow. So...I’ll see you in the morning, Zelda.”

Zelda smiled, combing her fingers through my hair. “See you in the morning, Portia. Maybe we can do some exploring tomorrow?”

She beams at that. “Of course! I’ve got some new places I want to try.” A cheery wave, and Portia headed for the door, practically skipping as she went. “Sweet dreams, Zelda! Sleep well!”

And when the door swung shut, it wasn’t long before Zelda fell into slumber, fading quickly into the scape of her dreams. 


	5. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: hey maybe it won't take me two months to update
> 
> well i was right it took me three but here she is!! last prologue chapter before we delve into the route itself!
> 
> (Chapter Title: Stop Draggin' My Heart Around by Stevie Nicks)

At this rate, she felt like she shouldn’t have been surprised by strange occurrences in her dreams.

In the pitch black, she turned, trying to make out anything but unable to see beyond the tip of her nose if she crossed her eyes just so. But it was empty, soundless, echoing back to her when she called out a careful, “Hello?”

_...lo?_

Blindly, she began to run, wooden floorboards cold and squealing beneath her feet and white-hot air flooding her mouth with the taste of ash and dust between deep breaths. Her eyes slowly began to acclimate, finding familiar shapes in the darkness - arching doorways, high columns, shadowy tapestries....and the door.

It loomed over her at the far end of the corridor, closer than ever before, and she realized she was oh so close to finding out what lay beyond it.

Heart pounding and breath shaky, Zelda reached out, fingers wrapping gingerly around the handle and slowly pulling the mahogany panel open. Surprisingly, it had no weight to it swung open, and it fell shut with a near silent click behind her as she slipped inside.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust from the darkness before, but every candelabra and lantern lit the room in a fierce, ruddy glow. All seemed to be focused on one singular point - albeit a massive point - the massive painting on the wall that stood at nearly twice her height.

Somehow, it became taller and more overwhelming with every hesitant step she made toward it, but she knew there was no mistaking the subject. Count Lucio, in the prime of his life...or as depicted by a sycophant.

Zelda wasn’t quite sure which she believed more.

With a careful hand, she reached out, trailing a featherlight touch down the red sleeve of his coat, to the gold of his arm, back to the fur wrapped around his shoulders...it was so unbelievably lifelike. For all the flush of life in his cheeks, the cracks in the skull where it settled under his boot...she could hardly believe it was just a painting.

Unknown hands settled on her bare shoulders, squeezing firmly as hot breath ghosted over her ear.

_Go on. No need to be shy._

A miasma of thick, scorching air pressed her hand firmly toward the portrait, her palm laid flat over the life size Lucio’s chest. She watched, transfixed, as her fingers slid across the painting against her will...meeting rich, dense fur, rather than oiled canvas. Then cold, cold, ice cold metal that thrummed and began to beat a steady rhythm under the warmth of her palm.

The portrait began to move, the depiction of Lucio sheathed his blade and lowered his foot from the skull beneath his feet. Silver eyes held her gaze as golden claws wrapped around her wrist, keeping her palm flat to his chest as he stepped carefully from the landscape so seamlessly she might have believed it a trick had she not just watched it happen with her own two eyes.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” He purred, eyes drawing her in as he looked her up and down, the spell broken as his lips curled in a disdainful sort of sneer. “Another pathetic peasant, come to beg for a boon?”

With a firm tug on her wrist, Zelda stumbled, straight into the Count’s chest as his flesh and bone arm wrapped around her waist. She could feel the gold plated lion head that had adorned his chest, the soft fabric of his jacket under her hand where it braced against his shoulder, fur soft under her fingers and breath impossibly warm on her face. He drew her in, bringing her nearly nose to nose with him as his lips curled into a smirk and his voice lowered to a purr that left her unsure if she wanted to tremble or flee.

“Luckily for you, I’m feeling generous today. Fear not, pet, your beloved Count will deliver you from a dreary existence!”

As Lucio grinned, red mist poured from his mouth, chasing the heels of every word as his grip around her waist became as tight as a vice. It filled the room, flooded her lungs, making her gasp for air as his grip suddenly vanished and she fell to her hands and knees. Pain seized her chest, squeezing tighter and tighter, so much so she felt like her heart might burst -

And then the haze cleared, only a single chandelier still lit and casting twisted shadows in every corner and crevice.

With a groan, Zelda hauled herself to her feet from the carpet, the gauzy nightgown replaced with a plague doctor’s dark robes and a mask strapped firmly over her face. She tugged at the nose, gloved hands slipping along the beak before she was broken from her reverie.

“Jules?” She heard a voice call, sending chills down her spine with every rasped word. “Jules, is that you? I’m thirsty! Get me some water!”

Slowly, she turned, meeting Lucio’s emaciated face as it peeked out from under a mess of blankets and pillows piled high. For a moment, she thought his eyes were merely bloodshot, tinted by the lenses of her mask, but she realized as her heart leapt into her throat that that was not the case.

Lucio had the plague.

She couldn’t remember the days of the plague, couldn’t remember the fear that had run through the streets of Vesuvia, but she imagined that it felt something like this.

“Wait...you’re not Jules.” Lucio’s brows pulled together, and he pushed the blanket a bit further down, drawing Zelda’s eye to the once white-glowing prosthetic that burned a bloody red. She watched that prosthetic as it moved, feebly grasping a tasseled cushion, and throwing it toward her where it sailed through the air a good three feet from her shoulder. “Who the hell are you? What are you doing in my room?”

Zelda’s body stiffened, as if manned by a puppeteer, forcing her to clasp her hands together and lower her head slightly as she spoke. It was as if her body knew what to do and say before she had the chance to process, words falling unbidden from her lips.

“My name is Zelda. The doctor is unavailable right now, but I am here to assist you with anything you may need until he’s free.”

Lucio hummed to himself, muling over her words as he propped himself up on his elbows. “Zelda...Zelda...do I know that name?”

Then he shrugged, dropping back onto the bed and giving her a lazy smile. “Doesn’t matter. Know any good games, Zelda? Stupid Jules keeps saying I have to stay in bed. I can’t go out, I can’t party, and I’m so bored!”

A chuckle rose in her throat, and she reached into her pocket, gloved fingers brushing a box of playing cards. “I could teach you how to play cards. I’ve learned a few games from Julian -”

Suddenly, a hacking cough racked his body, a fine spray of blood staining the silken sheets as Zelda rushed to the table with a pitcher of water. She turned, glass in hand, but was startled to meet Lucio’s withering glare as he threw a hand towards the door. He barely managed to speak over his coughing, bony finger outstretched before his voice boomed so loudly she dropped the glass to the floor at her feet.

“Get out. _OUT! NO ONE CAN SEE ME LIKE THIS!”_

Hastily, Zelda stepped back, but something hard caught her heel. She teetered, arms spinning, trying to catch something to hold onto -

And then she fell through the folds of dusty velvet, backwards into the bed where Lucio’s image had vanished from sight. Ruined shreds of fabric hung from the bed frame as fine white ash puffed into the air around her, Zelda laying still for a moment as she tried to catch her breath.

This...this was Count Lucio’s bed. Right where he was murdered, right where he was incinerated. Which meant the ash that settled into her eyes, her nose, her mouth…

Clasping a hand over her mouth, Zelda smothered the scream that threatened to escape her, rolling off the bed and running for the door as fast as she could without a thought to who might hear her.

_“Going so soon? You’re no fun.”_

That voice echoed from every corner of the room and every alcove of her mind as she threw the door open, sprinting down the hall into the infinite darkness beyond.

She was searching, running, looking for any way out as the portraits stared down from ruined eyes with lips curled into savage grins…

“Oh, pet...won’t you come back?”

The voice crept ever closer, breath hot on the back of her neck, and against all good sense and gut feeling, Zelda skidded to a stop. Chest heaving, she looked back over her shoulder, and for a moment, she could see its silhouette against the ruined and tattered paintings.

Obsidian horns stretching upward, hooves as broad as dinner plates, snow white fur adorning the face of a goat, and glowing red eyes watching her...watching her with ever-growing delight as the claws became impossibly long and reached for her through the gloom.

Panicked, Zelda stumbled back, throwing her hands out as if to shove the claws away, and the corridor exploded with wild magic between them both.

Myrrh spiraled up every column in the darkened hall, spreading to create a thorny barrier between herself and the creature that had stalked her all this way. It shrieked with fury, recoiling from the barrier as its last openings wove shut.

And then the world dissolved into naught but smoke as the world faded and spun all around her...

Zelda awoke in the darkness with a gasp, clawing at her neck as if to pull away something that constricted her breathing. Her throat burned, her eyes watered, and her chest heaved, fingers gripping the sheets to try and ground herself from her complete blind panic.

As she ran her fingers down her neck, her hand caught on the cool metal of the emerald pendant, letting its ridges guide her down, right herself, at least until she could feel comfortable enough to lie back in bed to stare at the ceiling.

Well, she certainly preferred her dreams of Asra to whatever that was.

She snorted quietly and lifted the pendant, watching it spin in the moonlight before her eyes narrowed at the door beyond the jewel in question.

There was...the faintest essence of magic in the air, just barely noticeable, but she could definitely tell it was coming from right beyond the door.

Slowly, she slipped out of bed, throwing a shawl around her shoulders and retrieving her bag from the floor - but choosing to go barefoot in hopes of being quiet in the late hours. With a deep breath, she turned the handle, peeking into the brightly lit hallway to see if there was anyone there.

Not a soul in sight. Good.

Zelda slipped quietly down the hall, trusting her senses to guide her as she made a few turns without a doubt of which way to go. At least, until she reached a fork in the road, and the trail...split, somehow, down both sides.

She turned right, down a dim and winding hall, stopping at the bottom of a dark stairwell and freezing in her tracks as she looked up to the landing.

Two glowing red eyes, staring down at her from the gloom.

She took a slow step back, watching as the eyes followed her down the stairs...and two white dogs meandered from the darkness, ears turning and snouts twitching as they trotted closer.

“Oh, it’s you two.” Zelda laughed, holding still as their snouts tickled her sides and their fur shuffled against her legs. “Guarding the stairs, are you? Don’t worry, I have no intention of going up there if I don’t have to.”

She took a step back, turning to go as she felt one of them sniff her bag eagerly, no doubt in search of another treat. Carefully, she waved them off, but the dogs followed, keeping up with her easily if a few paces behind. She walked faster. Their elegant footfalls sped up, only their nails indicating their speed as she broke into a run with the dogs hot on her heels. Clearly, they were built for speed while she was not, so she careened down a hall on her left, trying to lose the dogs on the turn as she burst onto a balmy veranda bathed in starlight.

Pausing for a single moment, Zelda closed her eyes, enjoying the warm evening air before the pull of magic tugged at her again and urged her to keep searching.

From where she stood, she could see the gardens, lush with flowers of any and every color as far as she could see. And in the middle, a maze of greenery thinned out, centered around a clearing she could see in the distance.

At once, she knew where she needed to go.

Zelda descended silently to the garden path, warm breeze caressing her shoulders and the calling of night birds soothing her thoughts into quiet so only her intuition led her through the maze. Every step closer to the center made the sound of falling water grow louder and her pace picked up, eager to find the source of whatever had called her here.

She saw the wide basin of the fountain first, water bursting forth from its central sea-goat, and the tendrils of the weeping willow just barely sweeping the surface of the water before her. And hanging from the tree…

“Faust!” Zelda laughed, opening her shawl to catch the lavender serpent as she dropped from the branches. She smiled as Faust tapped her nose with her snout, then rubbed against her face, coiling neatly around her shoulders. “What are you doing here?”

Regardless, she was comforted by the familiarity of the weight of the snake and the feel of her scale under her fingertips after such a strange day, and....she’d be lying if she wasn’t hoping Faust’s presence meant Asra was nearby.

Faust’s tongue flickered into the air, gaze drawn toward the reflection pool with a gleam in her eyes that made Zelda think there was something she was supposed to see. Carefully, she took a seat on the edge of the pool, stone cold through her thin pajamas as she leaned in to peer into the water below. In moments, her reflection rippled and faded away, and in its place…

She could see Asra on the other side, drinking deeply as he drew water to his lips. Every drop of water that trickled from his hands sent ripples through his image as they struck the surface. Zelda could only gape silently, afraid any sound would break whatever spell had been cast - though she nearly fell off the edge of the fountain as he shook out his hair, blinked the water from his eyes, and looked directly at her.

“Zelda?” He whispered, leaning forward with an expression that made her think he was as surprised as he was. “Can you hear me?”

Slowly, she nodded, a smile curling across her lips as he laughed. “Incredible.”

She could see as he leaned back that he was sitting cross-legged, probably beside a pond. His mount, the strange beast from her earlier dreams, lays beside him with its weighty head settled upon his knee. Faust peeked out from Zelda’s hair at the sound of Asra’s voice, making the brunette laugh as the snake nosed at her ear.

“It’s good to see you, Asra.” She said after a moment, leaning forward on her folded arms to sit closer to his reflection. “And Faust, of course, though I’m surprised you aren’t together. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you two apart.”

Asra echoed the warmth in his smile, propping his chin in his hand. “Ah, well...I wasn’t all that sure about leaving her, to be honest. But she found you alright, and after that reading you gave me, I thought I should trust my intuition.”

Zelda chuckled, tapping Faust’s nose with the tip of her finger. “Well, I’m glad she’s here. It’s been a strange couple of days…”

Faust peered down into the reflection pool, looking quite proud of herself now that Zelda was over the initial surprise - just like Asra did, catlike smile and all.

“You know, I’m glad you’re here, too. I’ve missed you.” Her cheeks warmed, and Asra’s cheeks went pink as the beast on his knee gave a rumbling snort. “Ever since I got here, it’s been one strange thing after another, and...now I feel like I’ve got a little bit of home with me.”

“‘Here’? Are you not at the shop?” Asra raised a brow, leaning forward to try and peer around her. “I know that tree...Zelda, are you at the palace?”

Zelda laughed, beginning to tell him everything that had happened in the few short days since his departure. A part of her was a little miffed he’d changed the subject, but the more she spoke, the more his eyes glimmered with keen interest.

Which quickly turned to concern as she reached the break in.

“I’m sorry, did you just say someone broke in? Are you alright?” He asked, tone quickly changing, and Zelda floundered under the intensity of his gaze and Faust’s head whipping toward her with an accusatory look. She raised both hands, surrendering with a laugh, her cheeks a little warm as she gave Asra a sheepish look.

“I’m fine, Asra, I’m not helpless. I do owe you a bit of money, though…”

“Zelda, we both pay rent, if there are any damages we can both take care of it. Are the windows and doors secure, at least?”

“Oh, yeah, the doors are fine. I put wards on them before I came to the palace, too, but...I maybe, kind of, sort of….broke the bottle of Golden Goose you’d been saving for my birthday over his head because he got too close.”

Asra looked at her, a mix of surprise and confusion on his face, and Zelda laughed. “Asra, you’re awful at surprises, and I’ve been talking about trying to hunt a bottle down for months because I want to try it. The new year passed, the next thing we celebrate is my birthday, and if it was for you you wouldn’t have hidden it. But I’ll pay you back for it, I feel bad that I wasted it. I just kind of panicked - “

“Zelda, it’s fine.” Asra cut in, giving her an amused sort of smile. “If a broken bottle is the price to pay for you being safe, I think that’s okay. I’ll call it even if you bake something for me when I get home.”

“I think I can manage that.” Zelda smiled down at him. “But how are you doing?”

He shrugged, raking a hand through his curls. “I’m alright. Same as when I left. But more importantly, it seems late. Did you eat?”

Typical Asra. Overly concerned about her well-being, while hardly talking about his own.

“Yes, I’ve eaten. I had dinner with Nadia.” Zelda rolled her eyes playfully, giving him a cheeky sort of smile. “If you’re so worried about me, you hen, you shouldn’t leave me behind all the time.”

Asra’s face flushed - an expression Zelda found herself absolutely entranced by. It wasn’t like she saw it on him often.

“Well, maybe when I -” Asra starts, but the beast on his knee groaned, blinking awake and peering up at him. “Ah. Looks like we’ve rested long enough. We have to go, but...I’m really glad I got to see you.”

He rose, and with one last glance toward Zelda, moved out of her view with the beast shuffling behind him. Her only warning was the sound of roaring wind before the image was enveloped in a storm of rust-colored sand.

When the sand clears, the water is completely still, leaving Zelda staring at her reflection with Faust at her side.

For a moment, she stared down absently into the pool. That place...it looked so familiar. Copper sand, massive beast...the same from her dream.

No...a vision.

Asra had told her once that anyone could perform a magical act, because magic is what you do to make the outcome you desire become a reality. So...was it her desire to see him? Or desire for something safe after a terrifying dream? Or perhaps was it the other way around, where his magic reached out to her…?

Mind racing and face pink, Zelda stood, pausing so Faust could settle in and give her the usual comforting squeeze. Getting to her room unnoticed might be a challenge, but...she turned back toward the palace, listening to the echoing bird calls all around her before she felt the sudden weight of eyes on her back. Many eyes...from every corner of the clearing, tucked in every shadow.

That snake has gotten… much bigger…

...she needed sleep. The rustling leaves sounded too much like whispers. Hastening her step, she retreated up the stairs and back inside, casting glances over her shoulder until her bedroom door shut behind her.

The wagon jolted on the uneven road, lurching from side to side as Zelda, Portia, and a host of other staff members made their way to town for the announcement. The sun was only beginning to rise as they arrived at the market, chattering servants loaded with baskets falling silent as Portia clapped her hands together.

“Alright, everybody, listen up!” She called, waiting until everyone had gathered around her to continue. “Noon on the dot, we’ll be making the announcement at the city square. ‘Til then, you all know your errands. Talk to me if you don’t. And as for you, Zelda...I thought you might like to check on your shop.”

Zelda visibly relaxed at Portia’s words, matching her smile with one of her own and a nod. “I’d love to, actually, but if you need me here…”

Portia waved her off, already half turning toward the market. “No, no, go take a look! I’ll try to find you later, but if I don’t, try to be at the square by noon. Bye now!”

Zelda smiled, a loose sort of spring in her step as she made her way in the opposite direction, eager to get home.

The shop was her very own oasis, she mused, glowing in the early morning mist. She hopped up the two steps with a giddy sort of smile, slapped her palm against the wood to release the sealing spell, then hastily turned the first two locks on the door. Before she reached the third, she fumbled her keyring, dropping it on the ground between her feet. She sighed, crouching down to retrieve them, but pausing when she spotted the small leather pouch on the stoop.

“What…?” She murmured, weighing it in her palm. It was rough in make, heavy with energy that only seemed to grow as she picked open the knot. She could pick out herbs, bark, resin, incense...some kind of magic mixture. Myrrh was strongest, but Zelda could pick out sage and marrow root as she raised it to her nose. Someone had left this for her, and if she remembered right...it was a mixture of protection. But nobody was around, and the street was empty, so it must have been left when she was away - which, admittedly, was somewhat unsettling, but at least it wasn’t a curse of some kind.

With a sigh, Zelda got to her feet, turning the third lock and leaning against the door to nudge it open. However, it swung open, making her nearly collapse into the last person she would have expected to see.

Julian Devorak.

The sight of him made her freeze in her tracks, body tensing and her fingers clutching a little tighter around the pouch as she struggled to form a coherent sentence. Fortunately, he beat her to it, twisting the fingers of his gloves as he spoke.

“Well, hello there. Fancy seeing you here, Zelda.”

Zelda managed a snort, folding her arms and leaning her weight into her hip. “I live here, Julian, and you most certainly do _not_.”

“Are you sure? Place is cozy. The last time I was here, you even cracked open a bottle of champagne for me, so I think I’m all set.”

She watched as the corner of his mouth quirked up, making her smile a little in return despite the absurdity of the situation. They sobered quickly, however, Julian clearing his throat in the silence.

“Right. I, ah, I was in the neighborhood, thought I’d check if you were in, made it back alright. And here you are, at your shop. Marvelous. I think I’ll stop wringing my hands.”

There was the briefest of moments where she considered calling for the guards, knowing she’d been hired by the palace to catch him, but...she couldn’t see that ending well. He’d been in her shop twice now, and he was standing on the inside of it, which might look like she’d been harboring a wanted criminal in her home. But she shook off the thought, holding no fear for the doctor and deciding instead to ask him the question that bothered her the more she looked at him standing just beyond her threshold.

Frowning, she addressed him, eyes locked firmly on his. “How do you keep getting in? I know I locked up after the first time. So you’ve either broken in, or…”

“...or I’ve got a key?” Julian sighed raggedly, pulling a little key from deep within his coat pocket. “Here. If it makes any difference, you can take it. I won’t be using it again. That’s...that’s a promise.”

He waited patiently as she took the key, comparing it to the others and realizing that it lined up perfectly with her key to the door at the alley. Slowly, she raised her gaze, eyeing him skeptically as she put the key away. “Who gave it to you?”

If she hadn’t been genuinely concerned, Zelda might have been amused by the flush that spread across his cheeks and the way he looked just about anywhere but at her. “You don’t...ahem, well...well. Let’s just say I needed to make a couple of house calls after hours.”

Zelda’s eyebrows shot upwards. House calls? Was Asra ever that ill? And if he had been, would he have told her? She couldn’t recall ever seeing Asra sick, but then again...it wasn’t like she could really rely on her memory, now could she?

She was broken from her reverie when Julian sighed, raking a hand through his hair.

“Oh, I hope you don’t think I’m a thief. I’m a lot of things, but not that. But...I suppose you don’t have a reason to take my word, either.” Julian shucked off his overcoat, extending it to her. “Search it. These pants don’t happen to have pockets, which is a travesty in itself, but if you find anything of yours in my coat I’ll show myself to the stocks.”

After a moment of hesitation, Zelda took his coat, carefully slipping her hands into each pocket and finding herself increasingly relieved that she didn’t find anything of hers or Asra’s inside with every pocket she checked. Eventually, she passed it back to him, giving him a sheepish sort of smile as he tugged the coat back on.

“Alright, I believe you - at least that you aren’t a thief. But I want to know what you were really here for, Julian, and don’t bullshit me.”

“Persistent, aren’t you?” He chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. After a moment of pause, he let out a shaky sigh, finally meeting her gaze. “I was...looking for answers. But I didn’t find any, not the ones I wanted.”

A beat of silence, and Zelda nodded, posture relaxing. “Alright. I can believe that.”

He jolted, blue eye wide with surprise. “Wait, really?”

Zelda shrugged. “Why not? You didn’t steal anything now or the last time you were in my shop, and you helped me back at the tavern. I’ve no reason to believe otherwise.”

“That’s a terrible idea.” Julian asserted, making Zelda snort as he continued. “You shouldn’t take anyone at their word, least of all me. Trusting people blindly gets you -”

“I never said I trusted you.” Zelda cut in, twisting the cords of the myrrh pouch around her fingers. “But I know what it’s like to look for answers and how far you’d be willing to go to get them. I believe you because I know that if I thought answers were in your shop or home or wherever, I’d probably be breaking in, too.”

Julian leaned against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest. He eyed her for a long moment, as if searching for something, before he chuckled and clapped a hand on her shoulder.

“Well, what do you know? Never thought I’d find something in common with the woman who’s supposed to be apprehending me.” He moved past her, coat swirling with a showy flourish as he stepped into the street. “I’m sure you have things to do, so I’ll just be getting out of your way...and if we happen to cross paths again, do call me Julian.”

The broad grin he had given her took half a second to melt into an expression of shock, and Zelda glanced over her shoulder to see what in the world had caught his attention in such a way.

Portia.

_Fuck._

She must have come to get her when she finished her errands - but she wasn’t looking in her direction at all. There was a moment where Zelda feared Portia would run for the guards, which very much confused her, because she was being paid to apprehend Julian and for some reason did not want that to happen - but Portia stayed frozen, all of her focus on the man beside Zelda. And when she spoke...the quiet words that left her sounded so much different to the Portia she knew, an unused voice from the depths of her heart.

“Ilya?” She breathed, taking a hesitant step forward. “Ilya, is it really you?”

Portia stumbled forward, bolting toward Julian and throwing herself at him the moment he was within arm’s reach. Her shaking hands came to rest on either side of his face, fingertips brushing the angle of his cheekbones. His eye started to shine, Zelda realized with mild wonder, tears threatening to spill over as he laid a hand over Portia’s.

“It’s me.”

Without warning, her fingers slid upward and curled harshly on his ears, drawing a shameful wince from the man. “You- you- you bastard! What are you doing here, out in the open?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!”

Julian winced again as she tugged, but managed a smile, even if it was a little sheepish. “You’ve grown up strong, Pasha. I’m...sorry I wasn’t there to see it.”

Portia practically snarled at him, one hand glued to his ear and the other on her hip. “Ohh, I’ll show you sorry, you unbelievable - Zelda!”

Zelda managed a timid wave, confused as Portia began to tug Julian away by his ear with her cheeks growing red. “I-I...I’ll catch up with you later!”

Without further ado, Portia hauled the floundering doctor away, leaving Zelda to ponder what the hell she’d just witness. But above all else…

Didn’t they seem like family?

With a sigh, she entered the shop, curiosity returning to a theory she had been concocting earlier on.

The Countess believed that a possession of Julian’s is all she would need to find him - granted, he seemed to have a knack for finding her before she knew she was looking. But she wanted to speak to Asra again, and Faust had slithered off in the early hours of the morning, so she had to plan on calling him on her own. But maybe if she brought one of his things, something with meaning to him…

She lingered for some time, passing a hand over clothing and magical relics, comforted by the remnants of his smoky scent. But it was the strangest thing - for all she searched, none of Asra’s things carried even a trace of his sparkling magic.

Before she knew it, the sun had risen high in the sky, a distant clock tolling the hour and shocking her to her feet. Vexed and rushing to make the announcement, Zelda abandoned her venture, closing up the shop and heading for the city square, toward the crowd roaring in the distance.

When Zelda arrived, she could see Portia, standing on the edge of the fountain central to the square. She coughed once, twice, then cupped her hands around her mouth to gain the attention of the jostling crowd.

“Ahem! Hear ye, hear ye! This is an announcement from the palace and your Countess Nadia!”

The square was densely packed with people, smaller folks and latecomers circling the perimeter for a better view. Zelda joined them, sidling carefully amongst the buzzing crowd, a pleasant smell she couldn’t place wafting from nearby.

“On the eve of the passing of your most glorified Count Lucio, the Countess will open the palace gates. That’s right, folks! All are invited - not to mourn - but to celebrate the spirit of the dearly departed Count!”

A ripple of loud excitement passes through the crowd. Zelda lingered on the edge, following the familiar scent of myrrh that filled her nose. Idly, she thought of the leather pouch tucked into her bag, the one that had been unceremoniously dropped onto her doorstep while she’d been away.

She let out a sort of squeak as she slammed face first into a hard surface, reeling back and rubbing at her nose as she looked up at the hulking figure.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I wasn’t...paying...attention…” She trailed off, taking in their cloak, the hood drawn over their head that shadowed their eyes beneath a heavy brow. Though the energy around them was full of excitement, Zelda couldn’t help but think they looked like a harbinger of despair.

“It’ll be a Masquerade like no other before! Spread the word, tell your friends! You won’t wanna miss this!”

As the crowd erupted into chatter, the massive stranger moved down a side street, escaping with the scent of myrrh. Their lumbering pace was easy to match, and Zelda caught up halfway down the street, a light smile on her face.

“Hey, where are you going?”

They turned slowly, as if dreading the sight of her, and a voice like thunder rumbled frim under their cloak.

“Blindly to the slaughter. Just like the rest of you.”

Zelda heaved a sigh of exasperation. “What do you mean? Please…just speak plainly.”

He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter what I say. My words won’t last. They never do.”

The stranger shuffled away, chains rattling. Zelda’s thoughts raced. If they left the protection spell at the shop…maybe Asra sent them?

“Wait - hey, wait a second! Who are you?” She called, scrambling to catch up as her question fell on deaf ears. The hulking figure stopped at the top of the stairs, broad back to her as they seemed to debate which way to go. Or...as if they were waiting for something.

Hesitantly, Zelda reached out, her fingers barely skimming their cloak before they turned so fast she nearly fell backwards. Their tattered hood fell back, and Zelda froze in place, her gaze locked on his as the scent of myrrh filled her nose.

_Seven pointed stars made from the high marsh grasses. Crackling fires and fresh rain, black tea and cedar, a carving knife scraping across wood -_

Zelda blinked rapidly, shaking off her reverie as the figure turned to shuffle away. Curiosity compelled her to follow, but her heart sank as she stepped into the bustling marketplace, fearing he could slip away into the crowd - until she saw their imposing form on the fringes of the market. They stopped at a wooden pole holding up a canopy, but it was far too narrow for them to hide behind. As soon as she approached, they lumbered away again. They towered over the apple cart they attempted to hide behind, and she realized they were trying to hide from her.

The next time, they shuffled to crouch behind a stray dog at her approach, but it seemed that as they realized the futility of the gesture, the dog rose and trotted off.

“Go away.” They grumbled, still crouched on the ground before Zelda as she stood in front of them.

“I just want to ask you something.” She said, trying to keep her voice as gentle as possible. She made sure to give them some space as she crouched down in front of them, not wanting to crowd them or scare them off. Stormy green eyes flickered from side to side as if they might flee at any moment.

“Are you okay?”

Their heavy brow knit in confusion. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Zelda’s own brows furrowed. “I mean, do you need help? Can I help you?”

“You can leave.” They huff. But before she went, she just wanted to know...

“Do you know Asra?” She asked, and they stopped dead, glowering down at her as they got to their feet.

“Better than anyone.”

The rumbling voice sounds irritated, but she could tell the answer was sincere. She pushed a little further. “Did he ask you to check on me?”

They hesitate, but nod slowly. “...yes. He’s my only friend.”

Well, she supposed they weren’t too different, then. Zelda trusted Asra, heart and soul, more than anyone else. As far back as she could remember, though that wasn’t far at all, he was the only person she could rely on.

“I can relate.”

Their expression lightened, but they shook their head. “Not the same.” Their tone was harsh, but they seemed...pleased, somehow.

“How do you know? Have we met before?” She asked, prodding further still, but they avoided her eyes and said nothing. A shouted warning made her head turn just in time to see a completely different apple cart rolling toward her, and she stumbled away on the uneven cobblestones to dodge the collision. By the time she regained her balance, the stranger was gone, and she sighed heavily.

Somehow, she had a feeling their avoidance of her question was answer enough.

She took a deep breath, pushing down the flaring frustration and shaking her head. Zelda had no time to worry about it - she had to catch up to Portia.

Zelda headed back toward the square, quickly finding the servants’ wagon - primarily by spotting Portia tossing flower petals and rice onto dancing cityfolk over the sides. She paused briefly when she spotted Zelda, emotions flickering before she settled on a somewhat forced smile.

“Oh, Zelda, there you are! You missed the big reveal! Would you look at this crowd? No incidents back at the shop, I hope? Nothing out of the ordinary?”

Her smile had a shade of desperation as she batted her lashes pleadingly. The moment is lost, however, when they were jostled into each other as the wagon lurched into motion. Wild laughter followed them down the streets, ringing with news of the masquerade, but Zelda’s mind was lost somewhere entirely different.

The ride back from the city was alive with talk. When they returned to the palace, the bridge was lined with carriages, Zelda pausing to take them all in until Portia leaned in to whisper to her.

“Those are royal carriages. The courtiers probably got here while we were out.”

A shiver ran down Zelda’s spine, but she managed a nod, letting Portia escort her to a wing of the palace that smelled strongly of incense and about half a dozen perfumes. A parlor door, if she had to guess, judging by the sound of music and cackling laughter inside.She rolled her lip between her teeth, nerves rising until Portia set a hand on her arm and gave her a comforting smile.

“Hey...don’t worry, Zelda. They’re just people, and they’re eager to meet you. Deep breaths, okay?”

Slowly, Zelda nodded, and Portia gave her arm one last pat and pushed open the door.

The room was hazy with elegant plumes of purple smoke, smelling strongly of lavender and mint that soothed the last bit of tension from Zelda’s shoulders as she took in the figures laid on the pillowy couches. Portia was whispering quietly to her, quickly putting names to faces until the Countess finally noticed her arrival. Nadia glanced up from the gleaming pipe organ and smiled as she played a victorious chord, a cheery sound that made Zelda crack a smile in return.

Portia cleared her throat and stepped forward slightly, speaking to the room in a clear voice that drew the eye toward her.

“Introducing Zelda Hollyheart, friend of the palace and apprentice to the magician, Asra.” She says, and Nadia nodded in her direction, folding hands neatly in her lap.

“Welcome, Zelda.”

The room devolved into a sort of chaos then, starting with a slight woman leaping away from the table of snacks that had been provided with a squeal of delight. She grasped Zelda’s hands, looking up at her with bright and watery eyes, and Zelda took a moment to process that this was the Procurator - Volta - that Portia had mentioned previously.

“Oh, this is Zelda? She’s cuter than I could have imagined! And she smells like…” Volta took a sniff of the air, eyes going wide. “Ooh, you smell delicious…”

Zelda managed a somewhat awkward smile, her hands caught tight in Volta’s spindly ones. “I, um...thank you, I suppose. I was just in the market, so maybe you’re smelling the spices?”

Volta nodded sagely, sniffing the air again. “Oh, yes, definitely. Cardamom and saffron and cinnamon and -”

“It is a delightful coincidence to meet you!” Another broke in, loudly cutting Volta off and drawing Zelda’s eye to the Praetor - a tall, gangly man whose pallor made her wonder if he were slightly ill. “We were all just talking about you.”

The one clad in red, Vulgora, tugged at her wrist with a gauntleted hand and away from the other two courtiers in front of her. “Sit, sit! Sit right here next to me, Zelda, don’t be shy!”

Taken by surprise by how welcoming they were, Zelda let their eager hands draw her down onto the couches, and their energy drew her into the fold of the conversation. She met the Countess’s gaze over the surface of the pipe organ, where she plucked out a few contemplative notes before speaking up over the courtiers.

“Tell me, Zelda, how was the announcement received?”

Another voice rose, far cooler and calculating than the others, tone so calm it set Zelda on edge. Their headdress rose high above their head in two conical shapes, and suddenly she came to the realization that Valdemar was dressed in what she recognized as an old plague doctor’s uniform from years before. She’d never seen people wearing them, but...she did see them peeking out of burning barrels in the early days of her memory.

“One can only imagine. Even we, the supposed favorites of the Countess, had no impression that such an announcement would be made.”

Volta, unbothered by the chilly tone, nodded enthusiastically. “Our dear Countess shares everything with us! We had no idea she could orchestrate such a surprise!”

“And how lucky we are, not having to worry about planning for it!” Vulgora laughed, elbowing Zelda’s side, and she let out a small ‘oof’ as Nadia frowned slightly.

“How lucky Zelda would have to be, to get a word in with you all.” She shook her head, shooting Zelda a somewhat apologetic look. Zelda opened her mouth to speak, to tell her it was alright, and she wasn’t offended, only to snort to herself as Vlastomil cut in with a sickly-sweet tone.

“Oh, but how lucky she already is! To be taken in by the Countess, completely unproven and unknown, a mere apprentice to the master!”

Zelda frowned at that. She was a touch reclusive, sure, but the shop did well enough and she thought she kept up with her studies while Asra was away.

“And to take such a chance?” Volta cried, her hands clasped around her cheeks. “So unlike our thoughtful and meticulous Countess!”

Nadia’s brow lifted, and she shook her head, hands settling on the keys of her pipe organ once more. “It was not chance that led me to Zelda’s door.”

“Then perhaps the Countess might inform her adoring court how exactly it was that she arrived at the witch’s door that night.” A prim figure in steely grey robes speaks then, having remained silent enough to escape Zelda’s notice throughout the conversation. He extended his hand, looking down his nose at her, and Zelda felt her fingers tighten in the hem of her shirt as the Consul continued.

“Or perhaps the witch might tell us herself.?

Zelda bit her tongue, holding back a snarky reply - Portia had made special mention of Valerius, and that meant the Countess minded him more than the others. But at the same time...she didn’t like him at all at that, not because of the word, but because of his tone.

So she relaxed her hand, settled her folded hands neatly in her lap, and gave him the most prim smile she could muster instead of throwing the couch cushion at him like she wanted to.

“Perhaps don’t call me that, Consul. I may not have a title, but I do have a name.”

Vulgora, Vlastomil, and Volta round on Valerius, gasping with bright and hungry looking eyes. He merely lifts a brow.

“Witch? Is that not your occupation?” He pauses for a moment, then chuckles, idly swirling his wine in its glass. “Ah, do forgive my mistake. You are but an apprentice.”

Zelda was aware of the others turning to her with hands fluttering over their mouths, but she simply shook her head, keeping her face as neutral as she possibly could - even as her brow twitched slightly and she ground her teeth in irritation.

“I may be an apprentice, Consul Valerius, but I am no less deserving of respect. And while I am here, the only opinion that matters to me is that of the Countess, who seems to deem me as exactly what she needs regardless of my position.”

The Countess’s sonorous voice rose over this whispers, silencing them with an exasperated sigh.

“If you all wish so desperately to know how that night transpired, you might have simply asked. As it happens, I was having some trouble sleeping.

Volta nodded quickly, speaking around a biscuit she had jammed into her mouth. “As you have been for some time, Countess!”

Nadia nodded patiently. “Yes, Procurator. As I have been for some time, I was having trouble sleeping. That night I woke up haunted by the spectre of a dream, no escape for my mind. No comfort from my terrors, nor anyone to whom I could turn, who might understand them. Indeed, I was in a desperate state…desperately seeking someone, anyone who may be of help to me. It was I who was lucky to come across the one I needed so soon. A benevolent universe brought us together, did it not, Zelda?”

When her glimmering red gaze met Zelda’s green, and the courtiers turned to study her with renewed intensity, she could only manage a demure nod. The moment was broken by an airy sigh as the Consul peered at her over the rim of his glass.

“Oh, it pains us, Countess, to know that you felt you must look elsewhere for an ear to confide upon.” The other courtiers nod in agreement, faces drawn in sympathy as the Consul continued. “We may seem frivolous to you, but should you deem us worthy of your trust, you may consider our hearts as open as a book!

He throws his arms wide with a flourish, knocking a pitcher of fragrant wine over and across the front of Zelda’s fine garments. Frozen in place, Zelda looked down at the fine silks, knowing nothing could be done for them as the heady liquid seeped through to her skin. A collective gasp swept through the room as the Countess struck a sour chord, rising from the organ with an expression she might dare to call murderous.

“Oh, my apologies! How clumsy of me.” Valerius drawled, entirely insincere as Zelda set the now empty pitcher on the table. “Surely a witch as skilled as you knows some hocus pocus to remedy this dilemma?”

If it hadn’t been for Nadia cutting in, Zelda might have thrown the whole tea tray at him.

“Enough, Valerius. You have exhausted my patience tonight. All of you, to your chambers. I would appreciate it if you could make it there without making another mess, but I won’t count on it.”

The courtiers file sheepishly out the door, save for Valerius, who seemed more bothered by being admonished than by the state of Zelda’s attire and the couch she had been sitting on. She remained, even as her heart begged her to flee the room to try and save face, solely because of Nadia’s gentle hand on her shoulder.

“I am sorry, Zelda. I had imagined many outcomes to this evening’s affair, and I must admit this was one of them.” She sighed heavily, and Zelda looked away, down to the wine dripping on the rug from her clothes. “Well, nothing can be done for that outfit. No matter. But I have taken enough liberties with your wardrobe. So please, do not hesitate - tell me what you would like. And please, Zelda, spare no expense.”

Portia stood nearby as the Countess folded her hands, awaiting her request. Zelda...couldn’t help but get the impression that Nadia wanted her to ask for riches, but she wouldn’t be surprised if the amount of alcohol on her person had dulled her perception.

But she couldn’t help it. Her eyes began to burn, and she quickly shook her head, loosely wrapping her arms around herself. “Nadia, I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me, but...I’d just like my old clothes. Please.”

Portia nodded, a soft smile tugging her lips up. “I thought you might say that.”

Nadia sighed. “Of course. You shall have your old clothes, Zelda. I regret if this comes as a surprise, but your comfort and happiness here is of great importance to me. Portia will escort you to your chambers. A bath will be drawn, and your garments will be returned to you by morning. I did take the liberty of having them washed.”

Zelda managed a small smile before she took Portia’s arm, turning toward the door as the Countess resumed her practice at the pipe organ.

“Oh, and Zelda...you are my guest of honor. You could be more selfish, if you like.”

The cooling tones of the organ echoed after them, lilting under the Countess’s graceful hands and easing Zelda’s mind into settling after such a chaotic affair.

When she was finished bathing and returned to the guest quarters, Zelda rolled back onto her bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling as the full weight of the day settled on her shoulders.

It was entirely overwhelming. The past several days had been, if she was entirely honest, but she was always too bone tired to think about it by the time she crashed into bed. But being wide awake meant she was alone with her thoughts. Mainly thoughts of how absolutely unqualified she was, how she had no idea where to begin with this, how she had someone else’s life in her hands depending on what she found out about him and not to mention how he kept breaking into her shop -

Zelda took a heaving breath, laying a hand over her eyes and shaking her head.

No. She couldn’t freak out about this. She had too much to do, and she was too stubborn to back down, but freaking out wouldn’t get her anywhere.

Zelda dragged her hand down her face before she paused, sitting up in bed to take a look around. Her gaze fell on the emerald pendant that sat on her nightstand, and she picked it up, cradling it in her palm as she twined the chain loosely around her fingers.

As the chain slipped fluidly through her fingers, energy pulsing gently from the emerald itself that eased her greatly. Now that she was focusing, truly paying attention, what she felt was all too familiar.

Asra’s magic radiated from the gem in soothing ripples and she remembered her search throughout their home, looking for connections and coming up short with a means to call him back to her. But with this...she had her chance.

She laid in wait until the halls fell completely silent...until midnight, perhaps, before she stole out of her room again. With the emerald at her breast, she was enveloped in a dreamy sort of calm. The thought of being able to speak with him again, when she felt like the world was in turmoil...she walked faster through the halls and out onto the veranda.

Humid wind pulled and welled against her, moving languidly through the garden to carry the babble of night birds. For the first time, the sight of the maze ahead excited her rather than filled her with dread, simply because she knew exactly where she needed to go - and perhaps it helped that she didn’t have to sprint while she was at it.

When she reached the fountain, she could see something familiar hanging from the branches of the weeping willow, making her laugh as she reached her arms up to catch it.

“Faust! Is this where you snuck off too?” She teased, waiting until the serpent wrapped around her arm to lower it and kiss her snout. In return, Faust slithered up eagerly onto her shoulders, sleek body giving Zelda a friendly squeeze before she immediately took interest in the emerald. Her tongue flickered after it as Zelda slipped the pendant from her neck, holding the jewel carefully above the surface of the water and took a deep breath. One moment, two…

And then she dropped it, light catching every glimmering facet as it sank to the bottom of the pool. Faust rolled herself along Zelda’s shoulders as the water began to change, colors blooming and shapes unfolding before their eyes until a familiar voice echoed from the surface.

“You’re back.” Asra murmured, his face coming into clarity at the same time the world around him did. Tall palms swayed rhythmically behind him against a glittering sea of stars. His hair caught starlight in every curl, making Zelda’s heart flutter just a bit more than she would have liked to admit as he continued. “I saw the water changing this time. Faust, you’re looking lively...but being around Zelda does that to you, doesn’t it?”

His eyes, bright with his smile, twinkled as he set his chin on his palm and gazed up at her.

“Have you been resting?” She asked softly, smoothing a hand down Faust’s body. “You look tired.”

Asra’s expression was sleepy, but content - something Zelda dared not hope that she had something to do with. He must have had some fulfilling escapades that day.

“Do I?” he mused, raking a hand through his curls. “I don’t feel tired. I was just about to get into the water, but you beat me to it.”

Zelda bit back a grin. “Ah, so that’s what I was smelling. Gods, Asra, can I really smell you from here?”

The reflection rippled as Asra playfully smacked a hand through it, laughing and shaking his head. “Oh, hush, I just wanted to go for a swim. It’s hot here tonight.”

Faust slid across Zelda’s lap, tongue flickering toward the water. “Where is ‘here’, anyway?”

“A place inside of me.” He looked over his shoulder at the sparkling, swirling galaxies overhead, relaxed smile on his face. “Who would have thought you could reach me here? Your magic is becoming inescapable. I think you’ll be able to follow me all the way.”

Perplexed, Zelda frowned, leaning a little closer to the water. “All the way...to where?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

Faust bobbed from side to side, almost dancing in what felt like anticipation, making Asra smile wider and Zelda giggle quietly to herself. She kissed the tip of Faust’s nose, laughing as she dove into Zelda’s hair and down the front of her shirt to cozy up inside her sleeve.

“You two have definitely gotten closer.” Asra said eventually, watching Faust wiggle her way down until her head was in Zelda’s palm. “She’s opening up to you. And...it may be time for me to do the same.”

Zelda choked on her breath, and the bewildered look on her face made Asra laugh, high and unrestrained.

“No, really. It’s true. I want to start being more honest with you. What’s on your mind? Ask me whatever you like. All that I ask… …is that you start being more honest with me, too.”

His gentle gaze washed over her, bringing her a sense of calm. But she had a few burning questions, namely due to a particular doctor that couldn’t stay out of the shop.

“Who is Julian to you?”

She’d seen the depth of emotion that crossed the doctor’s face when he spoke of Asra, however brief, but...she couldn’t remember a time where they all had overlapped.

“Julian? Ah, yes… he goes by that name, too. I knew him by another.” Asra sighed heavily, folding his arms across his chest. “He was a… friend, once. Then more. Why?”

Zelda shrugged, tugging on a strand of hair between her fingers. “He was at the shop again today. He said he was looking for something, but...he had a key to the shop. He said you gave it to him once, but I can’t remember him ever being around the shop…”

When she rubbed her temple with one hand, Asra’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t get the feeling it was directed at her. “Well...he became something else. Something I had to get away from. But Julian is who he needs to be to get what he wants, and nothing more. Nothing good comes of him. To think he’d come for me, after all that…”

Asra’s distant gaze drifted back to hers, and with another deep sigh, he cleared the heavy mood slightly with a light smile.

“I got the key back, if that means anything.” Zelda said, and Asra laughed, shaking his head.

“I’d forgotten I’d given him one. Thank you, Zelda. We don’t need it, but...it helps to know we have it.”

Zelda grinned. “Well, we’ll need it if you lose the spare under the steps again.”

Asra’s face flushed, and he gave her a sheepish sort of smile as she asked him another question - hoping that it didn’t go as poorly as the last.

“And Nadia?”

“The Countess?” Asra’s brow lifted, and she just shrugged.

“The one and only. She speaks of you sometimes, but I get the feeling she knows you more than she claims.”

Asra huffed a slight laugh. “Well… She was a dear friend, once. We could talk about anything, everything, all night long. We trusted each other for a time…but we’re strangers now.”

Zelda’s lips turned down into a frown. “How could that be? Strangers?”

“Mhm. Precious friends, precious experiences… you’d be amazed what people can forget. When they don’t want to remember…” His face twisted, as if smelling something that doesn’t agree with him, but his gaze returned to Zelda’s expectant one.

“So that’s what you wanted to know? That wasn’t so bad. Or… is there, perhaps, something else on your mind?” His sparkling eyes searched hers with wordless depth as Zelda reached out, laying her palm lightly against the surface of the water. Asra surprised her by mimicking the action, and though she couldn’t feel his hand against hers, it made her feel as if he was so much closer.

“Who am I to you, Asra?”

His usually soft eyes went wide, and his lips parted, shock clear on his face. For a brief moment, he looked confused, nearly hurt, before he sighed and tucked both of his hands into his lap.

“Who are you to me? I hope you’re ready to know. It’s been...really hard, sometimes, to keep these feelings to myself.” He sighed, expression melting into one of sorrow above all else. Zelda reached out and skimmed her fingers across the reflection of his face, but stayed quiet, giving him time until he was ready to speak.

After a long pause, he finally continued, lifting his gaze to the stars overhead. “You’re not a student to me. You never have been. You’ve helped me grow. I’ve learned as much from you as you from me.”

She realized that, as he returned his gaze to hers, that he was blushing more than she’d ever seen before. But...it felt like he wasn’t saying everything he wanted to.

“Is that all, Asra?”

He grinned, looking at her through swaying curls. “Nowhere close. Do you want it all?”

She nodded without hesitation, leaning in close in her own eagerness. He hesitated for a moment, closing his eyes, and then the water began to churn and bubble so fiercely she thought the fountain might overflow. Zelda quickly backed away from the pool, but after a few moments, Asra’s image emerged from the water before her and the pool settled beneath it.

His visage shivered and gleamed, more like a bubble than a solid being, but it was him. She knew that if she were to touch him, the magic holding him together would burst and scatter, even if she wanted nothing more than to reach for him in that moment. Asra smiled at her as she stepped closer, reaching out as if to brush his fingers against her cheek.

“We’re no closer than before, but it’s better this way. You wanted to know it all, so I’ll tell you. Properly.” He took a shuddering breath, and she leaned in, one knee braced on the lip of the stone pool to get closer still.

“How deeply, how completely I have come to care for you.” Zelda’s face burned as Asra avoided her eyes, but he still spoke, gaze eventually drifting back toward her. “I...didn’t think that I could feel this way. I even tried to deny it, Zelda. But how could I deny it, when my chest feels so light, as if I could do anything with you?”

Zelda’s hand settled loosely over her chest, grasping the fabric of her loose shirt as he continued. Moonbeams gently shone through his hands, just shy of cradling her cheeks in his palms.

“Every day, my love for you grows, brighter and brighter until I feel it might consume me. Sometimes, I’m afraid you can see it...and I have to escape, to hide from you. To hide from how I feel. But...I don’t want to hide anymore. I don’t want to keep secrets from you. I want you to know. I want you to remember.”

His face drew closer to hers, searching her eyes, and she couldn’t find it in her to break away.

He wanted her to remember? How could she forget? Her heart sang, words ringing in her ears, and with trembling hands she cupped his face as best she could and closed her eyes with a shaky breath. All this time, she’d held her feelings in, wondering why he chose to call her hom, always squashing the hope that he felt the same and the fear that he would vanish once and for all if she ever gave those desires a voice.

He loved her. He loved her. He loved her…

Suddenly, her chest seized, and Zelda let out a pained noise as her hands fell away from his face. Asra’s eyes flashed with concern, hands hovering over her shoulders.

“Zelda?” He asked gently, and she tried to answer, but her chest tightened once more and strangled the words before she could speak. Any strength left her as she doubled over, whimpering as she heard him drop to his knees in the water before her.

“No, no, no no no.” He murmured, hands fluttering over her form, but unable to touch her without the manifestation dissolving. Zelda tried to look down at her hands, which looked strange, foreign, but...she needed to tell him.

He said he loves me...

She could hear him, pleading for her to look at him, desperation clear in his voice as she dragged her gaze up to his. A single look at his panic stricken face had her eyes flooding with tears as the pain became unreal, like her heart might rip itself from her chest. He sighed, shaking his head.

“Okay...okay, don’t look at me. Breathe. I’m so sorry, Zelda, I was reckless, I shouldn’t have tried - I need you to forget.”

Slowly, she shook her head, her arms wrapping around herself and her nails digging into her arms. She didn’t want to forget. She was tired of forgetting, and she couldn’t now, not when she finally knew…

“Zelda, _forget_.” He pleaded, voice choked with tears as she cried out again. She managed a few words through mind numbing pain, his form blurry as she searched for him through her own tears.

“...I don’t...I don’t want to….please…” She whimpered. “Come home…”

She felt, if only in her mind, his lips press against her forehead as if she was made of glass. All at once, the tightness burst like a cool mist, spreading through her body. A rolling smoke concealed all her questions, her thoughts, everything, and her breathing became ragged and shallow as she finally eased into troubled blackness.

When Zelda awoke later, head cushioned by her arms on the edge of the fountain, she frowned - she couldn’t remember when she’d fallen asleep, but if Asra was gone...she must have overused her magic. Faust watched her, quiet, as she gathered the snake up in her arms and cuddled her close to her chest.

“Come on, Faust. We’ll see him again soon. I just need a bit of time to recharge…”

Faust cast a longing look at the fountain before reluctantly sliding up her arm, soothing a strange ache in her chest that she couldn’t name. Idly, she rubbed at the space over her heart, and with a shake of her head she turned and left the garden with the necklace forgotten at the bottom of the pool.


	6. Trouble in Shangri-La

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chase begins, as does the countdown to the Masquerade.
> 
> (Chapter Title - Trouble in Shangri-La by Stevie Nicks)

Zelda stood in front of the ornately carved door, hand hovering above the wood, unsure of if or when she should actually knock. Normally, she met Nadia at breakfast, and Nadia would tell Zelda of their agenda for the day before they went their separate ways. But this was the first time she’d been summoned to Nadia’s quarters, and she had no telling what awaited her inside. 

Eventually, Zelda tapped her knuckles lightly against the door - wondering if she needed to knock again - but after a tremulous moment, Nadia’s voice echoed from within. 

“Come in, Zelda…” A break in her speech, as if she yawned mid-sentence. “No need to hover outside.”

Zelda took in a deep breath, posture shifting nervously as she entered Nadia’s room and let the door fall shut behind her. 

Nadia’s elegant figure was posed on the floor as she entered, her back arched and her head tilted as her arms held her up. She opened her eyes, upside down and hair cascading like a waterfall onto the floor, and smiled at Zelda before closing her eyes again. 

“Ah, Zelda, you are as soothing as a summer breeze to a troubled mind. Thank you for agreeing to meet me.” She rose gracefully to her feet, only to adopt another pose as she regarded her, arms lifting toward the ceiling. Zelda could tell they were stretches of some kind - Asra did some on occasion - but these seemed far more complicated. “Especially considering how very busy you must be as of late, running to and fro at my whim.”

Finally, she straightened and extended a hand, which Zelda quickly took. Nadia’s elegant fingers curled around her own, and Zelda smiled up at her, head tilting as she stepped closer. 

“How can I help, milady?” 

Nadia frowned, gently squeezing Zelda’s hand in her own. “Please, Zelda, I would prefer it if you called me Nadia. If you and I are to work so closely, I would like you to feel relaxed in my presence.”

She waited until Zelda nodded, and glanced toward her neck, brow lowering at her bare throat. “Oh, but where is the emerald I gifted you? Surely you didn’t lose it. Does it not go with the outfit I’d sent for you this morning?”

Zelda really, really hoped the ‘Oh, shit’ that passed through her mind hadn’t been visible on her face. The emerald hadn’t been in her room that morning, the more that she thought about it, and she wasn’t quite sure she’d actually taken it from the fountain. Zelda opened her mouth as if to explain herself, but Nadia continued as if she hadn’t reacted, shaking her head. 

“No...I think you had the right idea. The gold in the setting would clash with the silver in your outfit…”

Zelda glanced down, looking at the silver moon and star embroidery along the neckline of her blouse, only to squeak when a hand gently tipped her chin up. 

“Shall I send rubies? Or perhaps sapphires? Diamonds I imagine would be most fetching on your features…”

Pain cut across Nadia’s features as she drew her hand away, rubbing gently at her brow and squeezing her eyes shut. Zelda quickly stepped closer, setting a hand on Nadia’s arm and speaking softly - the way Asra did when her own headaches acted up. 

“Nadia? Are you alright?”

Nadia chuckled softly, patting Zelda’s hand with her free one. “Your concern is touching, Zelda. And here arrives the real reason I called you to my chambers this morning. “

Slowly, she shifted, holding one arm in the other and twisting her waist and holding eye contact with Zelda - who subconsciously began to mirror her, wondering how she contorted her body so easily. 

“You are aware I suffer from a malady most common, are you not?” Nadia reached out with a steady hand and straightened Zelda’s arm, giving her a quick smile before readopting her pose. 

“Your headaches?”

“Just so. Yet I have not been entirely truthful as to their cause.” Nadia fixed her with a stern gaze then, eyes never straying from Zelda’s even as she moved to the next pose. “I must confess something to you in absolute confidence. Can I trust you to keep a secret, Zelda?”

Zelda hesitated for a brief moment. She wasn’t entirely sure what Nadia was planning, or what she knew, but…

“I have questions first.” She said eventually, and Nadia raised a brow, delight clear in her expression - so much so that Zelda could see the way she fought her lips twitching up into a smile. Slowly, Nadia’s back arched, lowering her until she was staring at Zelda upside down and waiting for her to continue. 

“Well, if I try that one, I’ll die.” Zelda muttered, clearing her throat at Nadia’s snort of laughter. “I’m...not sure what we’re actually doing here. Or what really happened when Count Lucio died. Some of the pieces just don’t seem to add up. How can you be so sure it was Doctor Devorak?”

Nadia was quiet for a long moment, and Zelda pushed a touch further, crouching down to better look Nadia in the eye.

“If i’m going to keep your secrets, I need to know you’re telling me everything. I don’t want to walk into the situation without knowing all the facts.”

Nadia straightened once more, shifting her pose to balance on one leg. Feeling that this was a safer pose to try, Zelda mirrored her stance, shaking only slightly as Nadia spoke. 

“I would expect no less, Zelda. I must admit I have not yet explained myself to you as I should. I was...remiss, in neglecting to do so.” Nadia stood fully then, offering her arm to Zelda with a half smile. “And I have much to tell you.”

The pair crossed the room to an elaborately carved chaise beside the bedroom windows, where Nadia settled upon it with a soft sigh as Zelda took up the cushion nearby. She glanced around, taking in the colors of the stained glass window arcing through the room in rainbow beams before Nadia’s voice gently recalled her attention. 

“What I tell you here must not leave this room.” Nadia said, voice firm, and Zelda nodded quickly before the Countess gave a heavy sigh. “I have...rather large gaps in my memory. It seems as if every time I seek to recall them, another headache arrives to block the attempt.” 

Well, that certainly hadn’t been what Zelda was expecting - nor did she anticipate knowing exactly what Nadia meant. For a while now, she’d known there were vast pieces of time missing from her memories. Years, in fact. She too experienced the headaches when she tried too hard to remember the time before something catastrophic must have claimed them. Slowly, she learned that she had to just let the memories go, no matter how much she wanted to cling to them. 

Zelda’s silence made Nadia raise a brow. “This news does not surprise you?”

“...no.” Zelda said eventually, lifting her gaze to Nadia’s and heaving a deep sigh of her own. “I...I have them too. Or I guess saying I don’t would be more proper?”

She jumped as Nadia reached out, clasping her hand and giving it a squeeze. 

“The headaches  _ and _ the missing memories?”

“I can’t remember anything prior to three years ago.” Zelda admitted, the words spilling forward faster as she confessed that fact to someone who wasn’t Asra for the very first time. “I don’t know why, but what you’re saying about the headaches and the pain when you try and focus on them too long...I know exactly what that’s like. I learned how to control them, so I haven’t felt much more than a pinch now and again, but I have nothing.”

“The memories still haven’t come back.” Nadia frowned, squeezing Zelda’s hand once more before she rose and began to pace. “This revelation is troubling. It cannot be a coincidence...there must be something here. Tell me, Zelda, what is the first thing you  _ can _ remember?”

Closing her eyes, Zelda searched what felt like an empty space, easily plucking up a memory she’d recalled many times before in her dreams. 

Hands, calloused in texture but gentle in touch, cradling her cheeks and a voice whispering words she couldn’t quite hear as her eyes fluttered open. She could see his tears, clouding the vibrant purple that had felt so heartbreakingly familiar, but it felt like she wasn’t attached to herself - she couldn’t follow through with the urge to dry his tears, tell him it would be alright, but...

“Asra. The shop.” She said finally, opening her eyes and shaking off her stupor. “I think it must have been soon after the Count’s death. I don’t remember a time where he was alive."

“Then it’s certainly a pattern. My memories of that time, too, have been stolen from me.” Nadia’s expression turned sour as she paused, standing in front of Zelda and folding her arms. “I do not remember the Count. I know I was married to him for a considerable time, and yet, I know not his voice nor his person. The last thing I remember is entering Vesuvia, many years ago. And then I awoke from a daze, a mere three months ago. Since then, I have been following this thread to a conclusion yet unknowable.”

With a sigh, Nadia dropped back onto the chaise again, rubbing her temple slightly. “Perhaps it is a blessing as well as a curse. He and I seem to have had...opposing tastes, you could say. In any case, it seems significant that our paths should cross like this, Zelda.”

Zelda frowned. “Maybe...but I don’t particularly believe in fate.”

“Is that so?” The Countess chuckled and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. “I must admit, I find the idea of some external force determining my life distasteful. But I would not discount the importance of fortuitous coincidence. After all, here you and I are. Two ships lost in the same storm, finding the same port to dock. The world will not hand us success, Zelda, but I find the prospect of weathering the storm with you rather encouraging.”

Nadia reached out for a teacup on the windowsill, the liquid inside giving off an unusual, earthy aroma. She took a long sip, then leaned forward, determination written across her face. 

“Now. If we are to investigate these events together, we must lay out all the facts. In my investigation since I have returned, there are a few key events I have teased out. First, Doctor Devorak was seen escaping Count Lucio’s rooms as they burned. We have multiple witnesses to this event, and he later confessed to the crimes without contest.” Nadia’s brows lowered. “And then he escaped from the dungeon the night before he was to be hanged.”

Zelda leaned back in the chaise, folding her arms across her chest. “Do we know who the eyewitnesses were?”

“Just one.” Nadia sighed. “I still have many questions about the exact sequence of events that led to my husband’s death. But perhaps if we understood what truly happened that night, it may lead us to the doctor’s door.”

She couldn’t explain it, but suddenly Zelda had an impending feeling that she would not like where this conversation was going. 

“The one man who may enlighten the situation…” Nadia gave Zelda a wry smile as she took a long sip of her strange smelling tea. “Well, you may be loathe to meet with him again after his rather distasteful behavior.”

No, Zelda did not like this at all. 

“Consul Valerius?” Zelda asked, then groaned audibly as Nadia hid her amused smile behind her teacup. 

“I have a long-standing arrangement with him. In fact, we will meet soon, in the gardens. I would be grateful to you, Zelda, if you would join me. Perhaps together we might tease out the truth.”

At Zelda’s silence, Nadia reached out, placing a hand on her knee to draw her eye. “I cannot ask him myself. To reveal my missing memories at this point would be unwise. Therefore, I must rely on you to ask questions in my stead...if you would.”

A beat of pause, then two before Zelda broke the silence with a sigh. “I can’t say I’m happy to meet him again, but if it’ll get me more answers...I suppose we don’t have a choice.”

“Thank you, Zelda. Valerius is...how do I put this delicately?” Nadia tapped a slim finger against her chin. “I suppose he is an acquired taste.”

Nadia rose and brushed invisible dust off her skirt, offering a hand and a smile to Zelda once she felt she was presentable. “Well then...let us away. I would hate to be late.”

Zelda and Nadia arrived at the veranda to find a delicate table already waiting for them, the strange game board already set atop its surface. The Consul stood at the balustrade, hand curled under his chin and soft frown on his lips, until Nadia’s voice drew his attention away from the gardens beyond. 

“Ah, Consul. Have we kept you waiting long?”

The Consul straightened at their arrival, bowing toward the Countess, then inclining his head slightly toward Zelda. There was an expression of morbid curiosity on his face, Zelda thought, one that he quickly hid behind a soft smile. 

“Countess. A delight, as always. How many times must I insist before you call me Valerius during these meetings?”

“At least a few times more, Consul.” Nadia chuckled, laying a hand on Zelda’s shoulder as she spoke. “Surely you remember my companion, Zelda?”

Valerius’s brow arched as he settled into his seat and Nadia moved into her own, the latter waving for a servant to bring Zelda a seat of her own. She smiled at the servant before she sat, neatly folding her hands in her lap and meeting the Consul’s gaze with a neutral expression.

“Of course.” He said, and the silence fell between them as he - rather owlishly, in Zelda’s opinion - blinked a few times at her with an equally neutral calm. 

Inside, she was flipping him a rather crude gesture, a single word encompassing her thoughts:

_ Prick. _

After a few beats of pause, he sighed and extended a hand toward Zelda, which she eyed warily as he spoke. 

“I must sincerely apologize for my...discretion last night. It was never my intent to make a fool of you.”

“It was you who seemed foolish, Consul.” Nadia scoffed across the table, echoing Zelda’s thoughts as she set up her half of the board. “Can you not handle a few glasses of wine?”

Zelda thought the man had good enough sense to look embarrassed, hiding it behind a cough into his sleeve.

“You are right, as always, Countess. It was...a long day in court, but I have no excuse for my actions.” His steely gaze shifted to his right, meeting Zelda’s as the blush faded from his cheeks. “I can only beg your forgiveness, Zelda, and assure you...it won’t happen again.”

When a hand found her knee under the table, Zelda nearly slammed the knee in question into the underside of the table in her own jumpiness before she caught Nadia’s gaze. She could tell what Nadia wanted - for Zelda to make peace so they could investigate - but gods, she was  _ boiling _ with a desire to say something smart. 

However, she resigned herself to silence for the time being, knowing she had a duty to complete that was more important than her own pride. If she argued with him now, he might be less willing to give them information later, and she couldn’t risk that. It was smarter to just let it go.

“We all make mistakes.” Zelda said eventually, offering him the prettiest smile she could manage. “There was no harm done, save for a ruined outfit at the end of the night.”

“Then I shall buy you a dozen more to take its place.” Nadia declared, and Zelda floundered, giving her a wide eyed look. 

“Oh, I, that’s really not necessary -” Zelda flushed as Valerius cleared his throat, eyes passing briefly between them before he spoke. 

“I appreciate your graceful acceptance. It seems like the Countess greatly values your… er, you.”

Nadia seemed unphased, hands settled neatly in her lap as she leaned back in her seat. “Zelda is a valued guest in my home, Consul. Her council is greatly appreciated during these tumultuous times.”

“I suppose you are right.” Valerius gestured to the board then, drawing Zelda’s eye down to the pieces she was fairly confident were carved crystal in a rainbow of colors. “Well then, Countess. I believe you have the first move.”

Zelda took in the board, set up into some sort of star pattern atop the round piece of wood. Each of the twenty-two pieces looked unique, beastly, familiar…

She realized as Nadia reached out and moved an owl diagonally that the pieces were echoes of the Major Arcana, their images reflective of those on Asra’s tarot deck tucked neatly into her bag. Valerius furrowed his brow, leaning forward to think, as his voice pulled Zelda quickly from her reverie. 

“You didn’t bring her here just for reintroductions, did you?”

“No, I did not. As you now know…” Nadia hummed slightly as the Consul moved the next piece, her fingers passing over the board. “Zelda is conducting an investigation into the night of our beloved Count’s death - with the intention of catching the murderer.”

Zelda watched as they continued to play the game as they spoke, neither one particularly aggressive with their tactics. Every time one made a move, the other seemed to have something to counter it. 

“Mm. I’d heard rumors on the grapevine about that little problem. And you think  _ magic _ is the answer?”

The disdain in his voice made Zelda’s brow furrow, and Nadia lifted her own as she moved a piece across the board. “Yes, I do. Would you propose another solution?”

She wanted him to say something, just so she could have a reason to be outwardly upset with him, but Nadia’s presence clearly either subdued his attitude or last night truly was out of character - Zelda wasn’t sure yet. 

“I suppose, considering the time constraints, it’s a perfectly reasonable solution.” Valerius lifted a hound-shaped piece and moved it in a strange serpentine pattern before placing it back upon the board. “I only hope you’re up to the challenge, Zelda. I’ve had the palace guard searching for him tirelessly since that night.”

Zelda lifted a brow at that, leaning back in her seat to meet his gaze. “I thought the Countess controlled the guard.”

“The Consul has run many of the day-to-day minutiae of this city for a few years now.” Nadia mused as she took in the board, tapping her knuckle against her chin. 

“...yes. After all, why should our Countess worry about such trivial details?” Valerius gave Nadia a strange look, one she did not seem to notice, and then slowly turned his attention to Zelda. “So then, I imagine this is your interrogation.”

Zelda nodded stiffly, trying to relax as she set her folded hands on her knee. “There are gaps in the story, Consul, that the Countess has said you may be able to fill.”

“Gaps, you say?” Valerius echoed, reaching for a glass of wine that sat nearby and taking a careful sip from it. “Surely you remember the night it happened, Countess.”

“I know what I saw, Consul, yet it was not I who had the doctor arrested for murder. That honor fell to you. You were there, in the Count’s wing that night. Our star witness.”

“I was not the only one in his wing. I was not even the first to arrive after the doctor.” Valerius waved his hand, Zelda eying his glass oh-so-carefully as the wine sloshed high. “Surely your time would be better spent interrogating them.”

_ Shit. Fuck, she hadn’t accounted for the possibility that there were other people to interrogate. Dear god, she was not qualified for this - _

“We already asked them, but it only brought more questions to the forefront.” Zelda said, keeping her voice as steady as possible even though she felt like she was practically shitting herself out of nerves.

Nadia, thankfully, gave her a subtle but delighted look at her bold lie, and smiled encouragingly before she spoke up and added to the lie herself. “Just so. Too many conflicting accounts, dear Valerius. We were hoping you might clarify the matter. After all, I trust your word over theirs.”

“Your trust in me is touching, Countess.” He sighed and glanced out into the garden, contemplating for a moment before he nodded and looked at Zelda. “Yes, I imagine those vapid imbeciles had little of value to offer you. The way they acted last night...let’s just say that isn’t aberrant behavior for any of them.”

Zelda thought he was certainly one to talk, but the more he cooperated, the more she was inclined to give him a pass based on the sheer gratitude that she actually felt like she was making progress in the investigation.

“Perhaps you could enlighten us, Consul.” Nadia said, the board now near forgotten between them both. 

“...yes, of course.” Valerius swirled his wine idly as he spoke, gaze focused on some point in the distance. “I first noticed the Count missing sometime near midnight.”

“How did you notice he was missing?” 

Valerius picked up a horned piece, examining it for a long moment, before placing it down at the top of the board. When he removed his hand, Zelda leaned forward slightly to see it clearer. A goat, its face carved into a ghastly grimace - the Devil, she realized with a sense of unease, her mind’s eye flickering back to the ghostly form of the goat that had haunted her dreams. 

“Perhaps the countess did not inform you of his...proclivities. The man liked to be the center of attention. When he is in the room, you notice him.”

“Yes. He was fond of his own face.” Nadia gave her a subtle look, delight clear in her eyes at their shared charade. 

“In any case, I assumed he must have retired to his rooms. A little strange, since he rarely missed his own parties. When I arrived, they were already aflame, with four shrieking figures all gathered ‘round the door: Praetor Vlastomil, Pontifex Vulgora, Procurator Volta, and Quaestor Valdemar.”

The courtiers from last night. Nadia leaned back slightly in her chair, but otherwise remained outwardly unbothered by the revelation. Zelda made a mental note to bring an actual notepad the next time she wanted to conduct any sort of interview - but she at least had an idea of where she wanted the conversation to go. 

“And Doctor Devorak?”

“Still inside the room. It’s the strangest thing, though…”

When Valerius didn’t continue, Nadia lifted a brow, quietly prompting him to continue. “What was, Consul?”

“The courtiers were shrieking things as they gathered around the door. At first I assumed they were after the doctor. Some of the things they said...I remember one. ‘He won’t get away with this’. I assumed…” Valerius shook his head and gestured to the board, pulling Nadia from her own thoughts. “Your move, Countess.”

Nadia examined the board for a long moment before quietly moving a piece shaped like a simple house cat. Whatever move she made seemed to have decided the game, because Valerius let out a sigh, then nodded toward the Countess. 

“Well played.”

“Perhaps one day you might hope to best me.” Nadia’s lips quirked up at the corners before she sobered again, propping her chin on the back of her hands and her elbows on the table. “Now then, Consul - what were the courtiers doing in my husband’s wing?”

Valerius shook his head, looking properly vexed about the whole situation. “That’s just it. I can’t seem to puzzle out what reason they might have had for their presence. Valdemar, yes. As the Head Physician, they had every right…”

There were a few beats of solemn pause before Zelda took a chance, trying to keep the discussion moving forward as best she could. “Why, was the Count sick?”

Valerius blinked at her, then at Nadia, head tilted quizzically. “My apologies, Countess. I didn’t realize you were still keeping that a secret from our...inquisitor.”

Nadia waved her hand dismissively, expression calm and carefully neutral if this information had been a surprise to her. “It’s alright, Consul. You may tell Zelda the truth.”

“Very well.” Valerius returned his attention to Zelda, leaning back in his chair. “Yes, the Count was sick. In fact, he was one of the very last victims of the Red Plague.”

When Zelda looked toward Nadia, she could see a glimpse of dawning realization in her eyes beyond her mask of calm as she spoke carefully.

“ ...yes. It’s why we invited so many experts to the palace. He wanted the cure for himself, not the city.” Nadia frowned, staring down at the board in contemplation. Without thinking, Zelda reached under the table, squeezing her hand in a gesture of reassurance. Valerius seemed not to notice the Countess’s look of surprise before she squeezed back, continuing with his explanation as their hands fell back into their respective laps. 

“In any case, the courtiers were trying to enter the Count’s rooms, presumably to rescue him, when the doctor slipped out. And they did nothing. It was only when I called attention to the doctor, and myself, that they reacted. Throwing themselves at him, retching and wailing in unison. Impressionable little creatures…”

Valerius shook his head, then began to clear the board of pieces, packing them away neatly in a carved wooden box. 

“...I’d suggest asking them about that night again. Separately this time.”

“Yes, I think we shall do just that. Thank you, Consul, for being so forthright with us. You’ve been a great help.” Nadia rose as the Consul did, watching as he inclined his head toward her and then leveled Zelda with another piercing stare.

“It was a pleasure speaking with you again, Zelda. Allow me to apologize once more for my earlier behavior. You are a capable investigator. I trust the matter will be resolved in your hands.”

She searched his face for a moment, wanting to believe the look on his face was one of genuine honesty, and deciding that there were more important matters than her petty grudges.

“Thank you, Consul.” Zelda said, giving him a smile that felt more real than all the ones she’d given him before. “I look forward to our next meeting.”

With a wordless nod, the Consul gathered his things, gave a final bow to Nadia, and departed to leave them alone on the Veranda. 

Zelda slumped in her chair as soon as he was gone, dragging a hand down her face with a disbelieving giggle. “Holy shit.”

Nadia laughed, slowly settling in her seat again. “I must say, Zelda, you were quite brilliant during that little charade. Lying outright to the Consul was a bold move. I must thank you for that quick thinking.”

She leaned forward, taking one of Zelda’s hands in her own and resting the other on top of it. 

“I’m quite impressed with your performance, Zelda. I admit I was concerned that he might see through our ruse, but you held your composure. You have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that I made the right choice.”

She flushed, and Nadia chuckled, leaning back and letting out a sigh. “I wouldn’t wish to impose on you, Zelda, and I need time to take in this information before we take the next step. You’ve done well for me today. You are free to spend the rest of the day how you choose, but please...do come find me if you have need of me.”

“Of course.” Zelda rose, twisting a strand of hair around her finger. “I think I might go back to the library...maybe the doctor’s desk has something for me. And in any case, I think trying to catch up on what I can’t remember of Lucio’s rule might be beneficial.”

“I understand. I’ll have Portia check on you soon.” Nadia stepped around Zelda, giving her a light smile as Zelda’s nose was filled with a delicate floral perfume. “You’re welcome to join me for dinner, should you manage to pull yourself from the books tonight.”

The last words she said, tossed almost carelessly over her shoulder, seemed to linger in Zelda’s mind long after Nadia disappeared into the palace. 

_ “You know how much I value your presence here, don’t you?” _

The glittering library doors loomed before Zelda, boughs of the wrought tree stretching up toward the ceiling. The keyholes were nestled between branches among bright fruit-shaped gemstones, so well hidden that Zelda could only find them by tracing her fingers over the gaps. 

She frowned as she flattened her palm against the surface, taking another look around to see if Portia was coming yet. 

Admittedly, she was feeling a little high strung, and seconds felt like hours as she waited for the handmaiden to arrive with the keys. It’d probably been five minutes, knowing her luck, but it felt like twenty, and there was a part of her dying to gain some sort of knowledge of what life was like in Vesuvia before she could remember. It may not have been her memories, but they were memories nonetheless. 

Zelda set her other palm on the door, one hand on either side of the central seam, then closed her eyes and let her awareness seep into the metal workings. She was conscious of the gears, the cogs, the springs and bolts - but she tried not to focus too intensely on the individual pieces. She found the first lock, wrapping her magic around the mechanism and twisting hard to unravel it. The first gave easily, spiraling open with an audible clunk that made Zelda grin despite herself. 

The second lock resisted, but a little more coaxing convinced it to turn open, albeit very reluctantly. By the time Zelda reached the third, the door had begun to thrum with its own magic, pushing back as she tried to turn it. The components felt as heavy as lead lead, where the previous two had turned as if they’d been made of a few scant pieces of balsa wood. 

With a groan, Zelda dropped her forehead against the panel before fully stepping back. She drummed her fingers against her cheek, trying to think up a way through the door, but she was thankfully rescued from embarrassing herself by body checking it in an attempt to...break down the door, she supposed, like  _ that _ was a good idea.

“Zelda! Sorry for the wait, I got caught up helping with some dinner prep.” Portia wrapped her arms around Zelda and gave her a squeeze, brilliant smile infectious. “I hope you weren’t waiting too long.”

Zelda just shrugged, adjusting her bag on her shoulder and shoving a hand into her pocket. “Not long at all. The Countess said you’d be by, but...I can’t get the door open.”

Portia laughed and patted her shoulder, digging the heavy key rings from her pocket. “I understand! You know, if you’re looking for a good mystery when you have free time, I  _ adore _ Detective Robin…” 

She trailed off as she twisted the first key in the lock, frowning as it made a different click than what Zelda had heard before. Bright blue eyes narrowed as she peered closely at the door, turning the key again as she did, then looked back at Zelda in surprise in admiration. 

“Did you unlock this? How did you do that?”

Zelda smiled somewhat sheepishly. “Well, I was  _ trying _ to use magic, but...I got stuck around lock three. The thing wouldn’t turn no matter how hard I tried.”

“Yanno, milady designed the door herself. It should be pretty hard to -” Portia wiggled her fingers in an imitation of magic - “open, but here you were, trying to break the whole thing down.”

Portia started working on the remaining locks, an excited gleam in her eye even when she wasn’t looking at Zelda. “I guess milady’s got a real eye for talent, huh? I knew you were good, but it’s something else to see it in action.”

“Oh, um...it’s nothing special.” She could feel her cheeks flame, shuffling awkwardly in place as she glanced away. “I used to forget my keys, so Asra taught me how to turn locks a while ago so I wasn’t locked out of the shop when he was away.”

Portia gave her a disbelieving look. “Nothing special? Zelda, I don’t know what lock you have on your shop, but that door has probably a hundred tiny gears, twelve locks, and anti-spellwork in every piece of it. But here you are, working away at it like it’s nothing - I bet with enough time, you’d get through it all on your own. You’re good at this, and you wouldn’t be here if milady didn’t think you were good enough for the job.”

“I…” Zelda floundered, lost for words, but she managed to muster up a smile. “...thank you, Portia.”

“I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true.” She waved a hand, but she paused at what Zelda thought was the tenth lock in the door, heaving a sigh as she did. “By the way…I need you to do me a favor.”

Portia stepped back, keys still hanging in the door as she turned to face Zelda fully. “I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t tell milady about what you saw yesterday. I know you have a job to do, but I…”

Zelda settled her hand on Portia’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze as she struggled to find the words. “Hey, Portia...I haven’t said anything yet for a reason. I’m not going to move forward without answers. Trust me, okay? I want the truth as much as I’m sure you do.”

The redhead’s lip quivered and her eyes welled up, but she nodded gratefully, reaching up and squeezing Zelda’s wrist in acknowledgement as a few servants bustled by. They seemed oblivious to the environment between them, thankfully, and Zelda let her hand fall after a few beats of pause. Portia laughed and sniffled a bit as she reached into her pocket, pulling something out and offering it to Zelda in cupped palms.

To her surprise, it was the glittering emerald necklace Nadia had given her - the one Zelda used to call Asra the night before, and evidently forgotten when she’d dozed off. 

“I thought if you said no I’d try and use this as leverage.” Portia giggled, giving her a playful wink. “You must have dropped it last night - you know, at the fountain? But I fished it out! And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

Zelda’s face heated all over again as she carefully clasped the chain around her throat, tugging at the pendant until it settled neatly against her breast. She wasn’t entirely sure what Portia saw, but...at this point, she was too afraid to ask. 

Portia’s mood turned on a dime, startling Zelda as she clapped her hands together and turned back to the door. 

“Right! Well, lemme get this door open for ya, huh? One second....” 

The last locks clicked, and Portia turned back around as the panels slowly unfolded into the library entryway. 

“And...done. Whew, no wonder nobody comes here, huh? Enjoy the library! Make sure you lock up when you’re done, okay?” She smacked her on the back - and Zelda knew it was friendly, but dear  _ Gods _ she was not expecting her to be that strong - and left with a smile and a bounce in her step. 

After a moment or two, Zelda let out a breath, stepping into the library as the panels slowly folded shut behind her. She was alone in the dust and silence, watching motes float aimlessly through the fading sunlight as it poured through the windows and cast rays between the bookshelves. 

Zelda idly trailed her fingers across the spines on the nearest shelf, tilting her head back to take in the way the bookshelves reached high over her head, only to freeze when a book fell off the shelf a few feet ahead of her. Slowly, she stepped toward it, ready to pick it up and chalk it up as bad placement when she put it back - 

_ Friend! _

Only to yelp and fumble the book when she met Faust’s bright red eyes peeking out from the gap. After a few awkward moments, she caught the book against her chest, letting out a sigh as Faust’s amusement tickled the back of her mind. 

“Okay, you got me, I’ll give you that. But you’re lucky I wasn’t holding something breakable.” Zelda lowered her brows at the familiar, who seemed unabashed as she made her way slowly out of the shelf and onto Zelda’s outstretched arm. “What are you doing here, anyway? You were supposed to stay in my room until I got back. 

_ Boring. Explore! _

“Mhm. Did you have fun, at least?”

Zelda felt an affirmation of sorts as Faust twined herself around her shoulders, stretching her head into the open air to taste it once or twice. After a few beats of pause, Faust turned her head off toward Zelda’s left, curiosity tangible enough for her to feel. 

_ Asra? _

With a frown, Zelda started to walk again, her hand brushing the bookshelves. “No, Faust, I don’t think he’s here. You’d know if he was -”

She paused at the next shelf, feeling familiar magic tickling her skin - warm and welcoming the further she went. 

It was unmistakably him. She could feel his magic thrumming in time with the pendant around her neck, in the spines of these books, in the very presence of Faust around her shoulders. But...she wouldn’t have missed it before, would she? Was she so preoccupied with Julian’s desk that she completely missed it?

_ Find.  _

Faust’s cool nose brushed against Zelda’s cheek as she dropped her back on the nearest surface, trying to figure out where to begin as she turned a slow circle where she stood. 

“Alright, you lead the way. I’ve got no idea where to start.”

There was a touch of amusement from Faust before her head swiveled, nodding toward the shelves on Zelda’s right. She wandered between them somewhat aimlessly, soaking in the quiet and the feel of Asra’s magic in the air, waiting for instinct (or a snake) to guide her.

Nadia had said Asra worked in the palace, back in the days of the plague...so maybe what she needed was something Asra had spent a lot of time working with. Perhaps the answers she was looking for were between a handful of neglected pages - and if there was anything she’d learned from magic, it was how little she truly knew.

_ Find. _

A gentle pull from somewhere behind her navel guided Zelda to a shelf a few rows over. Two books called out to her, her master’s touch echoing from each spine. 

She heaved up the tattered tome first, staggering under it weight before lowering it to a nearby desk. A sense of...loneliness, really, emanated from the pages and escaped into the air like a withered groan as she flipped the book open. 

_ Friend.  _

Faust’s body slipped down her arm, pulling her down, down, down…

_ A hulking figure stood in the center of the Honeypot, one that seemed familiar but not all the same. His voice rippled with familiarity, but he looked right through Zelda, straight toward Asra as he packed a bag.  _

_ “...Please don’t go. You’re walking right into his trap, Asra.”  _

_ Asra chuckles. “Mmm, there you go again with pessimism. The palace has resources I need, Muriel.” _

_ The man - Muriel - sighed and gave Asra a serious look. “...And when he rips your heart out?” _

_ “He’ll have to get me first.” Asra said, clearly amused at the idea. “He’s weak and dying. What could he do? Throw his medicine at me? He was dangerous once, I know, but I can handle him, Muriel. Really.” _

_ The lumbering figure lifted one steady hand as if to touch Asra’s shoulder, hesitated, and dropped it back to their side. Without a word, they turn and exit the shop, squeezing through the doorway that is far too small for a man of his stature.  _

_ Asra watched him leave, then sighed, his expression crumpling into something bittersweet. “...Sorry, Muriel. Some things you just can’t run away from.” _

Zelda realized with a start that this was a memory - a vision of Asra’s past. She only wished she could hear them from Asra himself, if he’d stop being so evasive. 

“You know, sometimes I want to throttle him.” Zelda commented idly, making Faust whip toward her with an offended look on her face. “Not literally! Just...grab him by the shirt and shake him a little. It’s…”

Zelda sighed, looking down toward the book as she pushed the cover shut. “He knows all my secrets, and yet...I feel like I know so little of him. It’s just frustrating, that’s all.”

Carefully, she hefted the book back on the shelf, pulling down the slim purple codex that had been wedged between a book on arcane magical theory and obscure mathematics. It was light, but surprisingly dense, the papers so sheer she could nearly read through them to the next. 

Zelda paused as the pages fell open to a single pressed fern, and she passed her fingers over it, smiling lightly before she fell into another memory.

_ “And see here? The elegant way the stem curls around itself? Truly unique to this particular variety of fern.” Nadia’s lips turned up slightly at the sides as she traced one finger along the tight spiral of the plant in her hand.  _

_ Asra took the plant from her carefully, spinning it between two fingers. “And you eat it? Hmm…” _

_ He lifted the fern to his mouth, but Nadia laughed and stopped him with a gentle touch, amusement glittering in her eyes.  _

_ “If you do that, I’ll have to call for your funeral next. They only become edible after rather intense preparation.” Nadia teased, her voice playful, and Asra flushed slightly before he set the fern down.  _

_ “Ah, they’re difficult, then. They don’t want to make it easy for you.” He chuckled, a sly look on his face. “You have to admire that kind of tenacity.” _

_ Nadia reached out, plucking up the fern again. “Yes...one must.” _

“Of  _ course _ he wanted to eat the plant.” With a bemused sigh, Zelda slipped the book onto the shelf, turning her attention to a bookshelf in the far corner. It beckoned her closer with wisps of magic, the first alluring volume she pulled down from the shelf leading her easily into the memory without Faust’s help.

_ What about this one for you, then? Zelda heard Asra ask, and she saw him lift a cobalt shirt with a plunging neckline and raise an eyebrow in her direction. In the world around them both, joyous cheers and chatter filled the shop, the Masquerade in full swing despite their clearly late preparation.  _

_ It was odd, seeing herself from the outside - younger, a little more freckled, laughing as he wiggled the shirt at her past self.  _

_ “It’s your color.” He said, wiggling the shirt at the memory-Zelda, making her laugh.  _

_ “You say that about  _ **_every_ ** _ color, Asra.” _

_ She watched as he grinned, so much lighter than she thought she’d ever seen him, grabbing her past self around the waist and pulling her in close.  _

_ “I can’t help it, Zel, you look radiant in everything.” The cobalt shirt went back on the rack, and another came out, and both past-Zelda and present-Zelda made the same scoffing noise.  _

_ “What about this?” He asks cheekily, only to burst into laughter as her past self swatted at his arm and the rainbow cheetah print dress.  _

_ “I will blind people with that!” Zelda laughed and shoved it back into the rack as if it couldn’t get far enough away. He only gave her a cheeky grin as he leaned in close, pressing a kiss to her cheek before whispering in her ear. _

_ “But Zelda, I’m already blinded by your beauty.”  _

_ Zelda’s past self shoved him away with a bemused groan, but her present self lifted her fingers to her cheek, pressing to the spot Asra would have kissed in this memory.  _

She...couldn’t remember that at all. She and Asra never attended the Masquerade...but then again, with so many gaps in her memory, maybe she’d forgotten that, too. 

Zelda chose not to linger on the subject, pulling down the next book. It was easier that time to drop into the memory, making her feel as if she was getting used to the magic, strange as it was. 

_ “I’m growing tired of your failures, you insufferable clown!” _

_ Asra sighed heavily, a hand popped onto his hip. “Is he throwing another fit?”  _

_ He paused in the hallway to listen to the commotion upstairs, lips twitching in barely restrained laughter. Julian’s voice filtered down the hall, stumbling over his words toward an unknown subject.  _

_ “If you’d just let me - oh, ah -” _

_ There’s a loud bang, rattling a few fixtures on the walls, before Julian stumbled down the hall and nearly toppled into Asra. His face flushed, but he quickly righted himself and loosely folded his arms.  _

_ “Ahem. Asra. What, er...what are you doing here? I mean, you’re looking well, that is. You always look well, of course, but you’re practically glowing -” _

_ Zelda felt a bit of secondhand relief as Asra cut in a sly sort of look on his face. “Lucio’s not impressed by your bedside manner, Ilya?” _

_ There’s another loud bang, and a shout echoed down the hall toward the both of them.  _

_ “DON’T COME BACK UNTIL YOU HAVE SOMETHING REAL TO SHOW ME!” Then, quieter, but still loud, “Servants! Someone come clean up this mess!” _

_ After a moment of pause, Julian awkwardly cleared his throat, pale cheeks still rosy. “Well, I’d say we can state with some certainty that it’s a no on leeches.” _

_ “Shocking.” Asra chuckled, reaching out to pat Julian’s shoulder before the memory fades away.  _

The weight of that particular tome made it more difficult to put up, but she managed, dusting off her hands with a sigh.

The more she learned, the more questions she had...namely, why didn’t Asra ever tell her before that he’d spent time at the palace? Nadia she knew was missing memories, but Asra...he’d never said anything that would indicate otherwise, even if he was obnoxiously cryptic.

_ There.  _

Zelda looked in the direction Faust indicated and made her way back to Julian’s desk, where the familiar dropped herself on the wooden surface unceremoniously. She nudged her nose against another book, an oddly sized red tome that had clearly been neglected judging by the dusty cover. Zelda ran her hand over it, revealing its title, and snorting aloud as she did. 

“Composium on the Stupendencies of the Fabric of the Human Form. Bet that’s fun to put in a footnote.”

Despite the ridiculous name and the dust that had settled upon it, it looked well used and heavily annotated. When she was last here, Zelda hadn’t noticed any sort of magic, but now it felt as if it whispered her name into the open air.  Zelda closed her eyes, laying her hand upon the surface, and fell into the memory with Faust’s tail coiled around her wrist. 

_ Julian hummed softly as he sat at his desk, hand shoved through his auburn curls. “No, that’s not quite right, is it? There must be something I’m missing...Asra?”  _

_ Asra glanced up from the nest of pillows and cushions on the floor, gave Julian a mildly interested look, and then returned to his book. “Mmhmm?” _

_ What do you think?” Julian asked. “If I try to mix the venom with this solution here, is it worth a shot? No...no, that will make poisonous vapors. Damn. Something else then, there has to be…”  _

_ Julian trailed off, leaning over to scribble something in the book. After a moment, he sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I think I’ve got something...come look at this, would you? I’m close, I can feel it. I could use your eyes.” _

_ Asra sighed and stood slowly, lazily stretching out his back before padding barefoot over to Julian’s desk.  _

_ “Alright, alright, I’m here - hmm, what’s that?” He leans over Julian’s shoulder to look at the illustration in his book.  _

_ Julian visibly flushes, and I can tell by the look on Asra’s face that he knows what he’s doing. The doctor stammers for a moment, then collects himself, gesturing to the page. “Here, just so. Look at this diagram. What do you think, will it work?” _

_ Asra gave him an amused look. “Ilya, if you wanted to show me your fantasies, you didn’t have to hide behind pretense.” _

_ “W-What?” Julian stammered, then shook his head, “No, that’s not what I - it’s a medical illustration!” _

_ Asra hummed, clearly delighting in Julian’s embarrassment. “Hmm….so it is. Blood ritual?” _

_ “Er, well, no. Not exactly. It’s a transfusion, see? You use this apparatus here - of course, there’s no telling if it will work. Or how safe it is...or if it’s even possible, damn. No that won’t work then. What about bile?” _

_ Asra feigned interest as he slipped away, back to his pile of pillows. Julian seemed incredulous. “You - where are you going? There’s more work to do, you know. You can’t expect to cure the plague through napping.” _

_ Asra chuckled. “It’s not all napping. Sometimes I daydream instead.” He stretched languidly, yawning before he spoke again. “I’m tired, Ilya. I need to get back to the shop before it gets dark. Besides, I don’t want to get in your way.” _

_ Julian sighed and nodded, starting to stand up. “I’ll walk you home, then.”  _

_ “What, and interrupt your very important studies? I’ll be fine on my own, really.” Asra said, absently flicking one of Julian’s curls out of his eyes as he drew nearer.  _

_ Julian sighed, his gaze lowering to the floor. “If you keep slacking off like this, Asra, I...I won’t be able to protect you.”  _

_ He presses forward, grabbing Asra’s wrist. It’s not hard to see Asra tense at the sudden touch. He takes another step closer, bringing Asra’s hands into his own. A sigh from Julian ruffles Asra’s curls, and he swallows, looking down at the magician.  _

_ “The Count wants his cure. He’ll die without it, and I’m worried he’ll take you with him. I don’t want you to die, Asra. Not if there’s something we can do to stop it. Together.” _

_ Asra is quiet before he pulls away, his expression more shadowed than Zelda had ever seen it.  _

_ “...Goodnight, Ilya. “ He said, and it carried a note of finality as he disappeared through the door. The last words she heard before she was pulled out of the memory are Julian’s, muttered to himself.  _

_ “Right...right. If he won’t listen to reason...I’ll just have to make him listen.” _

What…?

Were they…?

What exactly was the nature of their relationship? 

Were they just friends, or something more? 

Whispers lash at Zelda’s mind, telling her she could have the answer. She could see their relationship if she simply found it in herself to ask. And it was so tempting to lay her hand back on that cover, pry just a bit more…

No. It was none of her business. Despite the pang in her heart that said otherwise, that pleaded for an answer to a question she hadn’t asked, she didn’t need to know. Asra made it clear last night that something bitter had happened between them, and prying crossed a boundary Zelda didn’t want to step over. 

She turned away from the desk to look through the window above it, out to the flowering garden and the swaying branches of the willow. The twilight cast long shadows across the library, the sun setting on the distant horizon, making Zelda’s brow furrow. 

Didn’t she still have something to do...?

“ _ Shit _ , dinner.” Zelda snatched her bag off the table she’d left it on, kissing the top of Faust’s head as she went. “Think you can find my room okay? Since you snuck out of there in the first place.”

Faust nodded, already starting to slither off the table. 

_ Find! _

“Thank you, baby girl! I’ll try and bring you a treat!”

Sparing one last glance at the library, Zelda bolted down the hall, her stomach clearly set on dinner but her mind set on going back to the library to see if she could find more answers. 


	7. Dog Days Are Over

A flock of birds took flight outside the window, the flurry of wingbeats and trilling birdsong startling Zelda from a hazy dream. 

It took her a few moments to fully realize her surroundings, namely the desk she’d been slumped over - books and papers scattered around her where she slept. 

She remembered coming back to the library after breakfast when told she’d have the day to herself, and wondering if there were any more memories to be had, but coming up empty when she searched. So she’d decided to go through Julian’s papers to look for something, anything really, that could help the investigation…

And then nothing. 

Zelda yawned loudly, stretching her arms high above her head and arching her back to try and ease out some of the stiffness there. She groaned and peeled a piece of parchment off her cheek, surveying the mess, and sighed knowing that she had still come up empty despite her efforts. 

“Oh, come on! I really need to get in there!”

Was that...Portia’s voice, coming through the open window of the garden? It sounded like she was having an argument, though Zelda couldn’t hear the other party involved. 

She stood slowly, grimacing as her lower back popped, and left the library to make the trip down to the garden. 

“Please? You’re really trying my patience here.”

_ “HOW DARE YOU? DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!” _

Zelda could hear the second voice as she drew closer to the source of the commotion, picking her way down the rocky path. It was a shrill shriek that pierced the foliage that still blocked her view, but it didn’t obstruct the near audible eye roll from Portia as she sighed. 

“Yes, yes, I know.” Crunching leaves, like they were crushed under a stomped foot. “I swear to everything above that if you don’t move, I’ll be having  _ roast cockatoo _ for dinner!”

Pushing aside a few gnarled branches, Zelda passed the final tree and stepped into a small clearing. Settled squat in the middle of the copse was a squashed looking cottage, surrounded by an overflowing garden. It looked...really cozy, in Zelda’s opinion, but her attention was quickly drawn toward an irate redhead off toward the edge of the garden in question.

“That’s it! Pepi, honey...get ‘em!”

A pretty seal point cat with a pudgy face and round eyes leapt up onto Portia’s shoulder, batting at a brilliant white cockatoo. The bird itself was perched on the roof of a small work shed, shrieking and nipping at Portia every time she tried to enter. A well aimed swipe from the cat dislodged the cockatoo from its perch, sending it reeling for an escape. In the process, it clipped Portia’s head with its wing, head plumage flared in anger as it muttered at its undignified treatment. 

“They’ll never forget me.” The bird shrieked as it passed over Zelda’s head. “They’ll never survive without me!”

Given the sequence of events that had just happened, Zelda had no idea what to do with herself, and found herself just kind of...standing there awkwardly as Portia huffed and stroked a hand down the cat’s back. 

“Oooo. that awful bird! He makes me so  _ mad _ , Pepi!” The redhead turned, and there were a few beats of pause while she and Zelda made awkwardly silent eye contact. 

“Hi.” Zelda waved sheepishly, and Portia flushed, wringing her hands together with her blue eyes wide. 

“Uhh...fancy seeing you here.” She smoothed her apron in an attempt to recover and managed a smile, Pepi idly chewing on a curl of her hair. “I’m surprised you managed to find this place. It’s a little off the beaten path.”

“Where...exactly are we, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

“Oh! How rude of me.” Portia cleared her throat, and then spread one arm out to show off the cottage in question. “Welcome to Casa de Portia. My own little oasis on the palace grounds. Just watch out for the graspgourds, they’re feisty today.”

Portia winked at the same time a curious vine grasped at her ankle, which she promptly kicked off. 

“Why don’t you have a seat? It must have been quite a walk to get here, huh?” She gestured to a bench carved out of a large log that rested against the exterior of the cottage. 

Zelda picked her way carefully through the overgrown garden, stepping over plants and realizing with some excitement that she knew what many of them were. She grew them herself in flower boxes and on the flat roof of the shop, and it was comforting, in a way, to be around something so familiar even in all the chaos. She watched as Portia picked up a rake from nearby and met her wry smile as she lifted it slightly in the air. 

“You don’t mind me working a little while we talk, do you? I’ve got a lot of work in the garden today.”

Zelda shook her head, setting her bag aside on the bench. “Not at all. In fact, I’d like to help, if you don’t mind.”

Portia gave her a surprised look, but nodded, gesturing to a nearby patch of vegetables that still left Zelda within earshot. “Yeah, I...I need help weeding over there, if you don’t mind doing that.”

As Zelda settled in on the ground, uncaring of the damp earth that soaked through her pants, she realized she had about a million questions she wanted to ask Portia. But for now, she’d start with…

“Is the Countess alright?” Zelda asked, gripping a clump of weeds and pulling them out with roots (thankfully) intact. “She told me a little about her headaches yesterday, but...obviously I’ve not yet been around long enough to see her laid up like this.”

She didn’t miss Portia’s long, searching look, but the redhead sighed and nodded slowly. 

“I think she will be. To be entirely honest, Zelda, things seemed like they were getting hairy before you showed up. I’m glad Milady chose to visit your shop. So far...I think you could be just what we need.”

Something about Portia’s tone made Zelda pause mid-pull of another clump of weeds. The way she said ‘we’...something told her she didn’t mean the Countess. 

“You mean you and your brother, don’t you?”

Well, if Zelda wasn’t sure before, she was then. The naked shock and hurt on Portia’s face told her everything she needed to know without hearing a word. 

Zelda sat back on her heels as Portia sighed, pausing in her work to meet her gaze. 

“...yes. I’m sorry about that scene outside your shop, you know. I was just…” Portia tapped the rake against the ground a few times, her eyes falling toward her feet. “...surprised to see him there, for a lack of better words.”

“I was, too.” Zelda nodded, thinking back to Julian exiting her shop, caught red handed breaking and entering -  _ again _ . 

Portia laughed softly, a smile pulling at her lips despite the situation. “He’s got a real flair for the dramatic. I’m glad to see that hasn’t changed.”

“You didn’t know he was here?”

“Not until I saw him yesterday. Whatever he thinks he’s doing here…” Portia’s expression grew annoyed, making Zelda hide a snort of laughter behind her hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t smack him a little harder for the trouble, honestly. He could be in huge trouble.”

The mood didn’t say heavy for long, thankfully, as Portia waved it away when she squared her shoulders and gave Zelda a determined smile. 

“But I had no idea you two knew each other, either. Did that happen before or after milady hired you?”

Zelda’s face heated under the scrutiny, and she quickly busied her hands with pulling weeds even as she felt Portia’s eyes boring into the side of her head. 

“I first met Julian the night the Countess visited my shop. He arrived shortly after she left.” She explained eventually, thinking back to the glassy eyes of the mask he wore in those first few moments. “Very dramatic, if I had to say so.”

“Hm...that sure sounds like him. But why didn’t you tell milady?”

The look on Portia’s face was not unkind. She seemed...more curious than anything, if Zelda had to pin a name to her expression, and it made her feel as if she could tell Portia anything without consequence. 

“Nadia told me on the night she came to see me that she believed there was something more to the story. Something...darker, maybe, but something that hadn’t yet been revealed.” Zelda ripped out a particularly stubborn patch of weeds as she remembered the strange headache that had come to her that night at the Countess’s words. “And I agree with her, honestly. Something seems off about all this, and I didn’t want to condemn a man based on incomplete information. If it’s my word that knots the hangman’s noose, how can I  _ possibly _ send a man to death before I’ve found out everything I can?”

“I’m really glad to hear you say that, Zelda.” Portia’s lips curled into a smile as Zelda looked up. “I don’t really know what mess Ilya’s gotten himself into, but...if he has you in his corner, I get the feeling everything will work out alright in the end.”

“Portia…” Zelda started, then paused, rolling her lip between her teeth as she debated her next words. 

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

The words didn’t feel like enough to express how she was feeling, but Portia picked her way through the garden and reached out to squeeze Zelda’s shoulder as if she knew regardless. 

“Of course! That’s what I’m here for, you know. Pep talks and expert gardening skills.” Portia lifted her rake playfully, and Zelda laughed, reaching up and patting Portia’s hand on her shoulder before the redhead made her way back to the area she’d been working on.

The two lingered for a long time, the sun beating down on their backs as they tidied the garden, only breaking the silence when Portia paused to wrangle her hair back up off her neck. 

“Oh my, it’s getting pretty late, huh?” Portia looked up toward the sky, the sun already well past where it was at noon. Late light dappled the clearing and danced on her face as Zelda turned to look at her, sitting back on her heels to dust off her hands. “I don’t want to keep you. It’s your day off, you shouldn’t be working so hard! Now shoo! Go enjoy yourself!

Zelda laughed as Portia hauled her to her feet, but didn’t pull away when Portia gripped her hands, giving her a sweet smile. 

“Thank you for coming to talk to me, Zelda. I knew we’d be friends eventually.”

With the sun at her back, Zelda slipped away from Portia’s garden, mind swirling with thoughts of Julian and his predicament. Strangely enough, she felt more at ease after speaking with Portia. The trials ahead seemed less insurmountable. 

Zelda decided to let her feet guide her rather than take her original route back to the palace, wandering aimlessly through what felt like ancient foliage. The further she got from the cottage, the more the sky began to change, first painted with a kaleidoscope of color before melting into inky darkness. 

Normally that wouldn’t set off any alarm bells, but Zelda hadn't thought it was that late. By all accounts, it should have been mid afternoon - shouldn’t it?

A sense of dread welled in the pit of Zelda’s stomach as she turned deeper into the darkness, feeling as if her feet were slowly becoming possessed with every step she took. 

The palace’s soaring spires emerged from the top of the trees, and the rest of the gleaming building soon followed. Thick foliage opened to rolling fields, cut across with a nearby brook that serpentines through the grass. At first, Zelda’s gaze passed over it, but then her eyes shot back toward the brook and her stomach sank like a stone. 

Red. 

There was no mistaking it. Crimson stained the slow-moving stream, seeping steadily into the banks and blackening the tall grasses that swayed along them. 

Taking a deep breath, Zelda gave the banks a wide berth and tried to reach a better viewpoint to see the water’s course. She followed the flow upstream with trepidation at her breast, up and up and up to a forgotten corner of the palace. 

The water seeped from the stonework like an open wound, poisoning the earth around it. But it would be so easy to miss, she realized, since this side of the palace was so overgrown it seemed unlikely it was patrolled often. 

Zelda turned back to the garden, realizing with some horror where the darkness had come from. 

Every source of life at the edge of the field was rotting, color melting away as branches bowed and grass wilted from the ground up. And Zelda knew, deep down in the place where her magic came from, that something was so terribly wrong that she wanted nothing more than to flee from this place where even the birds refused to sing. 

Swallowing hard, Zelda took a step back, then another, turning toward the banks of the stream to follow it to its end. 

Vast, open fields gave way to rocky cliffside, and the stream transitioned to flowing along lemonstone structures. Zelda eventually came to an aqueduct, one of many flowing toward the city, designed to bring water to its denizens down below. 

From this high up, balanced on the stone of the unconventional path she’d taken, Zelda could see all of Vesuvia sprawled out before her. It was chaotic and vibrant, swirls of smoke spiraling from chimneys to dance upon the breeze and twining together like lovers. 

Her eyes were drawn upward by a circling raven, swooping lower as she walked along the bridge. Before she could move out of his way, the raven landed heavily on her shoulder, tilting its head at her and fixing her with a dark stare. They stood there and held eye contact for one moment, then two, and then the raven turned his head and began to preen her hair closest to where it sat. 

“Well, hello.” Zelda chuckled, reaching a hand up and cautiously stroking a few fingers down its chest. The raven opened its mouth as if to scream, but simply nibbled on the collar of her shirt, letting her smooth down its ruffled feathers with a gentle touch. She opened her mouth to say something else, but a noise downstream startled the bird into flight, leaving her alone on the bridge as she watched it soar away. 

Eventually, the aqueduct lowered and joined together with another water line, both heading deeper into the city. It was only when she reached the outskirts that she felt she had re-entered urban life, buildings rising up around her as she left the rolling fields behind. But this came with a bitter realization as she continued to follow the water supply, realizing with growing horror that the crimson poison from the palace grounds was running into the city’s water supply. 

“...Zelda?”

Zelda’s head whipped to the right, her fists raised defensively in front of her as she watched a figure slowly emerge into the dim light of a city lantern. Face half cast in shadow, Julian stepped further onto the aqueduct, raising his hands in a somewhat bemused gesture of surrender as he took in the stance she’d taken. 

“Julian!” Zelda sighed in relief, shoving her hands into her pockets as she took him in. “Gods, you scared me half to death.”

Behind him, the city towered like a behemoth, a chaotic sprawl of buildings nearly stacked atop one another with the warm glow in their windows like eyes bearing down on them both. It made Julian seem so small, somehow, as she watched him turn a mask over in his hands. She recognized the long, curved beak and the glassy eyes, watching it reflect red light back onto his pensive face. 

“Fancy seeing you here, hm? Out on a midnight walk?” 

Zelda snorted, a brow raised as she looked at the side of his face. “I could ask you the same question. I’d think the bounty on your head would be convincing enough to keep you inside.”

“Mm, no, not particularly.” Julian chuckled and sighed, gaze dropping to the reservoir pooling below them. The red of his coat reflected and refracted in the water, splashes of crimson dancing against each other. “I was just...thinking. Life is a funny, fickle thing, isn’t it?”

Zelda idly leaned out over the water, watching her reflection ripple - finding some sort of unease in the way the whites of her eyes turned scarlet the longer she stared. 

“Should we be so close to the water?”

“What, this water?” Julian shook his head. “It’s harmless, or as harmless as it can be. It won’t do anything to anyone, anymore. Sure, if you went for a swim, maybe, but…isn’t it a miracle? They went and figured it out. Or outlasted it. Wonder how they did it?”

When he met Zelda’s confused gaze, he shook his head as if dismissing the thought. 

“It’s no matter, I suppose. Life finds a way, doesn’t it? The plague is over. And so is my career, just like that. Who needs a plague doctor if there’s no plague?”

“You’re telling me you never learned a single other medical skill in all your time as a doctor?”

Julian flushed under Zelda’s scrutiny, managing a shrug. 

“Of course I have. But I spent so much time researching the plague, that it feels as if it’s all that’s ever mattered. It’s like...like being a Count with no city! Or a barkeep with no drinks.” He extends his arms out in a flourish, a piece of hair falling into his good eye and obscuring it. “So here I am. Throwing away the last piece of a past I can’t reclaim. Pity, isn’t it? Ah well.”

He looked down to the mask one last time, and then let it drop into the water below. Pale, slithering shapes moved to swarm around it the moment it hit the surface, making Zelda lean away in mild horror and major disgust. 

“Julian…” Zelda started, only to be cut off by the raven from earlier with a ragged screech. It nearly flew into them both in its frenzy, wing clipping Julian’s head before tugging at the lapel of his coat. 

“Guards afoot, Zelda! Look lively, we’d best make tracks.”

Together, they leapt into action, Julian leading Zelda down the aqueduct at what felt like breakneck pace to reach the street. His arm slipped from hers as they approached, and he cast a wild sort of grin over his shoulder as he glanced back to make sure she was keeping up - and she was, at least until her foot slid across a wet stone. 

Before she knew it, she was falling, a startled gasp ripping from her throat before she tumbled backwards into the reservoir below. The impact knocked her breath away as darkness engulfed her, and she kicked frantically toward the surface, the water itself so icy cold that it felt it was slicing through her clothes with every movement she made.

The clothes which had once been so light felt so heavy, and she was running out of air in her blind panic, chest tightening painfully as something slippery and sleek moved against her side - then sharp,  _ sharp _ pain as something latched onto her side, making her cry out as something else fell into the water near her. 

An arm looped tightly under her arms, yanking her up and out of the water toward the edge of the reservoir. She coughed as Julian hauled her up against the ledge, her arms holding her upright as they waited for the clattering sounds of armored guards to pass overhead. 

“Alright, up you get.” He muttered, climbing out of the water and helping her up when she couldn’t quite muster the strength in her trembling limbs to surmount the edge herself. The undulating creature still clung to her as she stumbled into him, and she made a quiet gagging noise as she watched her blood moving through its translucent innards. She reached for it, only for Julian to grip it first, his other hand neatly on her shoulder. 

“Careful. On the count of three. One, two -”

Squeezing it behind its head, Julian tossed it back into the water as soon as its mouth was forced away from her side. 

“Three.” Zelda managed to say, stumbling forward as her head began to feel a little light, and Julian quickly reached out and caught her before she fell. 

“Easy now, I’ve got you.” He muttered, supporting her as they stumbled away from the reservoir, sopping wet and sliding on the cobblestones. Julian half dragged her as they ran, Zelda watching numbly as she watched her own blood trickle down her side and stain the puddles she left behind.

Julian paused at an intersection, giving her a concerned look from the shadows of a building. “Can you stand?”

Zelda tried, she really did, but she was so tremendously dizzy that it was all she could to to cling onto his sleeve. 

“Right. Foolish question.” He quickly shed his coat, wrapping it around her shoulders despite it too being sopping wet. “I’m going to carry you, Zelda, is that alright?”

She nodded, and he quickly hefted her up, an arm hooked neatly under her knees and the other around her back. Zelda couldn’t help the slight cry that escaped her as the movement tugged at her wound, but buried her face in the soaked fabric of his coat, muffling the sound as he quickly broke into a run once again.

Later she’d find it sort of ironic that the person she was supposed to be apprehending, or at the very least investigating, seemed to be inevitably what got her into trouble when she was out and about with no intention of actually seeing him in the moment. 

Only when they reached a narrow, deserted alley would they stop, Julian panting slightly as he lowered them both carefully to the ground. Zelda leaned against the wall nearest to her, stone cool on her temple as her lashes brushed her cheek, and she only truly became aware of her surroundings as she felt Julian’s gloved hand settle on her shoulder.

“Let me see that bite.”

Zelda nodded somewhat ambiguously, words caught behind her teeth as she tried to speak. 

“...I’ll take that as a yes.” He muttered eventually, helping her lay down without completely cracking her skull against the stone and carefully moving her tattered garments away from the site of the wound. She could still feel the bite oozing steadily, and all she could do was stare up at the stars as his practiced hands worked over her abdomen. 

After a few moments, she heard him swear quietly, ripping his gloves off as he sat back. “The bleeding won’t stop.”

Zelda moved to sit up, but froze halfway, heart leaping into her throat at the sight of the murderer’s brand stark against his skin. She watched that hand even as the other laid carefully over the open wound, making her wince quietly, but his voice quickly drew her attention away as he nudged her back down. 

“Hold still.” He gave her a reassuring smile, pushing a wet curl out of his face. “Deep breaths. This will only take a minute or two.”

Well, she thought that was certainly easier said than done. But rather than gripe, she focused on wrestling with the desire to succumb to unconsciousness, eyes fixed hard on the stars above his head. 

The pain ebbed away in gentle waves, easing her into a state of relaxation that left her feeling somewhere between dreamy and wide awake. But she was feeling better, certainly, as she couldn’t help but find some amusement in the fact that their encounters always seemed to be a step beyond chaotic. 

“You know, we have to stop meeting like this.” She quipped, a cheeky smile on her face as he let out a bark of laughter. 

“If you’re well enough to joke, you’re well enough to sit.” Julian pressed a hand to her forehead, checking her temperature before he spoke up again with a smile on his face. He helped her sit up with a hand on her back to steady her, Zelda’s head swimming with the mild change in altitude. “At least you didn’t catch me breaking and entering this time. I’ll admit, I was surprised to see you in the neighborhood….you must have some kind of luck.”

Zelda snorted and rolled her eyes. “Shitty luck, if my track record is anything to go by.”

She followed his gaze to the aqueduct’s end, then, eyes traveling up the cascading waterfall of red with the sudden realization of how sheer a drop it’d been. She swallowed thickly, ripping her eyes away to meet his single grey again. 

“Or maybe it’s better than I thought.”

Quickly, her eyes fell to the magic mark glowing under the skin of his throat. It seemed….so familiar, the longer she stared at it, following the lines of the design until Julian cleared his throat and caught her staring. A shadow passed over his face, and he raked a hand through his curls with a heavy sigh. 

“I suppose you recognize your master’s handiwork.” He said, and Zelda watched in a mix of fascination and horror as fresh blood blossomed under his clothing. Julian grimaced, pressing a hand to the wound as he pushed his hair out of his face. “This was his parting gift to me. A curse. I’m able to take away bodily wounds, as you can see. And in return, I get to experience them for myself...ugh.”

Julian swayed forward, and Zelda swallowed thickly at the sight of blood running freely down his torso. She reached out, but Julian caught her wrist, keeping her from touching the wound despite her own concern. 

“It won’t last. It never does.” Julian chuckled lowly. “A curse from a witch who fears commitment. But then again, I’ve never been bitten by a vampire eel. This might be interesting.”

Despite her tumultuous thoughts over the mark in question, Zelda was nothing if not polite, and chose instead to use her manners as she realized she still hadn’t thanked him for his help.

“Thank you.” She said softly, watching as he blinked owlishly at her. “I know helping me is probably the last thing you want, given our situation, but...I do appreciate it, Julian.”

Julian’s face flamed, and he chuckled awkwardly, tugging on the edges of his gloves as he pulled them back on. “Don’t mention it. Circumstances being as they were...I’m just glad you’re alright.”

He opened his mouth to say something and then immediately froze, eyes wide, Zelda hearing them coming only moments after he did. The Countess’s guards were patrolling the outer walls, coming nearer and nearer, until Julian ushered Zelda quickly into a nearby alley. 

They were sandwiched together in the narrow alley, one of his palms flat against the wall by her shoulder and both her forearms pressed against his chest to create as much distance as possible while still staying hidden. Her hands trembled slightly as the Countess’s guards ran by, praying their gazes would slide over where they were concealed in the shadows. But this close, she could see the pain painted on Julian’s face, his eyes fixed on a spot on the wall above her head before lowering to her own. They stared at each other for a long, long moment, silence hanging between them, before Julian wet his lips and went to speak. 

“Zelda -”

A thud at the entrance to the alley would cut him off, and he quickly grabbed her wrist, giving her a confident sort of smile. 

“Not the time. Let’s go.”

He tugged her out of the alley, breaking into a run and turning the city into a passing blur as they evaded detection. They were weaving between buildings, moving so fast Zelda nearly missed the overgrown gate nestled between two tall buildings. 

There was a garden there - a perfect hiding spot, if they could make it past the padlock on the iron gate. Julian picked up speed, her hand threatening to slip from his, and she realized in that moment that she had to act then if she was going to act at all. 

Zelda readjusted her grip on his hand, pulling hard on it to tug them both toward the garden. He quickly caught on to her intentions, helping her climb over the top of the locked gate before following her. 

She landed with a soft ‘oof’ square on her ass, making Julian laugh softly as he dropped down next to her on light feet and offered her a hand up. Together, they ducked into the cover of vines, just as the guards ran past the garden and into the night. 

Zelda dusted her clothes off as they caught their breath, the still silence of the garden swallowing any sounds from the street. It was so...peaceful, really, The garden seemed like it’d been abandoned for years, the plants left to fend for themselves. Ivy covered what once must have been beautiful marble faces and savage stone beasts.

Carefully, she picked around the roots that had overtaken the cracked stone path, her fingers passing over the leaves and blooms nearest to her before she finally settled on the edge of the dilapidated fountain. 

“Look at this place!” Julian marvelled, a relaxed sort of smile on his face now that they’d found a temporary safe harbor. “That was some quick thinking on your part, Zelda. Looks like you’ve a knack for discovering hidden beauty.”

He turned toward her and spread his arms out in an expansive gesture, coat flapping slightly as he did. “I wonder how many parts of the city have fallen to neglect like this, hm?”

“A lot.” Zelda said after a moment’s pause, watching as he made his way to one of the grotesque statues. “Whenever Asra goes away, I end up exploring...the flooded district is all like this. Beautiful, in a way, but neglected for as long as I can remember - what are you doing?”

Julian was trying to imitate the expression on the statue’s face once he’d cleared away the ivy, but his amusement broke the mask. 

“Handsome brute, isn’t he?” Julian asked, wrapping an arm around the minotaur’s muscular shoulders, delight clear in his eyes as he did. “Dangerous looking creature. You know, I think there’s a place near Karnassos that has a legend about these…not sure I’d want to run across one if they look like this.”

Zelda laughed, getting to her feet and brushing off the nose of the statue in question. “I don’t know, I like a little danger. A little adventure, really. Something to break away from the day to day monotony.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised, Zelda. It seems you’re full of them.” Julian sighed heavily as he leaned against the base of the statue, drawing Zelda’s gaze up to meet his. “But tell me...do you really mean that? You’re certainly brave, it’s true, but do you know what you’re getting into?”

Zelda reached up, passing her fingers through her hair as she contemplated the question she’d been given. 

“I think it’s the not knowing that makes an adventure exciting.” She said eventually, folding her arms neatly across her chest. “But if you’re asking about the investigation specifically...this is so much more than I ever could have expected to be involved in. I didn’t expect it to be easy, I didn’t expect it to be dangerous, but I know I need to find the truth. I promised Nadia that. I promised Portia that. I’ll promise you that, too.”

Julian’s lips quirked up at the mention of Portia, and he chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Ah. I thought you might have made the connection after what happened at your shop.”

“Portia confirmed it. She’s worried about you, you know - so at least try not to die before I have the chance to find out what really happened, yeah?” Zelda paused, tilting her head slightly as she regarded Julian. “Speaking of not dying, is that bite still bleeding?”

She tried to follow him as he moved, looking for any sign the bloodstain was spreading on his jacket, but he dodged every attempt she made to get a good look at him. 

“Are you worried about me, Zelda? You needn’t be. Perfectly alright, see?” He spread his arms out wide, nearly knocking over the minotaur statue, swearing quietly as he quickly steadied it with cheeks flaming red. “I, uh. Ahem. Reflexes notwithstanding.”

Zelda stifled a snort of laughter behind her hand, and Julian’s tension seemed to ease. “Really, it’s fine. Just a little bite, nothing I can’t handle. There are more dangerous things out there than eels. Ah, hold still.”

He reached forward carefully, plucking a luminous flower from where it had tangled in her hair. It glowed a bright, vivid blue, just like the blooms in the tree overhead in the darkness of the garden. The star shaped petals curled away from his touch as he brushed gloved fingers over them, then twirled the flower between his fingers as he offered it to her. 

She reached out to take it, but Julian drew back, shaking his head ever so slightly. 

“Ah ah ah - careful, Zelda. There’s poison in these petals.”

Her gaze fell to the fragile, unfamiliar bloom in his hand, and her head tilted in curiosity. “What is it?”

“Deadly starstrand.” Julian answered, stepping closer to let her get a better look at the flower. “A single drop of poison distilled from this flower could kill a babe in its crib. It’s killed tyrants and kings, innocent and guilty. It could topple empires in a careless hand.”

He offered it to her once more, holding her gaze with a touch of eagerness in his expression. “Do you still want it?”

Zelda reached out just shy of taking it, the starstrand widening as she finally reached forward and slipped her fingers underneath its petals to cup the bloom. She lifted it to her nose and sniffed carefully, something acrid and iron under the sweetness of floral perfume. 

“Poisons that have to be distilled make the original plant harmless to touch. It may be deadly, but for now...it’s no more harmful than a thorned rose.” Zelda smiled, reaching up to a low hanging branch and plucking another bloom down. “But I certainly find them lovelier.”

“Well, I wouldn’t eat it if I were you, Zelda.” Julian chuckled. “But you’re right. It’s harmless like this.”

“I think I’ll try taking some of them home.” Zelda said after a few moments, reaching up for the low hanging branch. “Education never ends, hm? There’s always something new to learn, even if we think we know all the answers.”

Julian paused mid-step, giving Zelda a strange look for a long, long moment as she gathered up a few more blossoms and tucked them into the crook of her arm. She only realized when she went to tuck a single one behind her ear, catching his gaze angled in her direction. 

“What?”

He shook it off, giving her an attempt at a reassuring smile. “Nothing. You just said something that reminded me of someone, but...it’s not important.”

Zelda wanted to ask him more, curiosity bubbling over, but they were interrupted by the sound of loud footsteps quickly approaching. A scowl passed over Julian’s face before he offered her an arm, nodding toward the path ahead. 

“Right on time. Let’s leave before our guests arrive, hm?”

With the garden’s sanctity compromised, Julian linked his arm through hers and roughly tugged her out onto the street once more. He led them both deeper into more questionable areas of the city, taking wild turns to evade their pursuers. Zelda followed without hesitation, starstrand clutched tight in her arm - he seemed to know all the relevant escape routes, if not the entire area, better than the back of his hand. 

Eventually, they came to a dilapidated residence at the outskirts of the district. A few chickens petered around its fenced in yard, all of which quickly diving out of the way as Julian hopped the short fence in question. 

“In we go, Zelda!”

Without waiting for her to respond, he clamored through an open window round back, gripping her arms to pull her in after him and sending them both tumbling to the floor of the humid hut. Julian narrowly dodged a row of brass bells, just close enough to make them hum as he helped her up, hand lingering on her shoulder when he steadied her and looked around the room. 

The space was wide, but the ceiling was low, his hair brushing the ceiling and showering his shoulders with dirt. 

“Mazelinka?” He called, peering around the half wall separating one room from the next. “Sorry to drop in like this, it’s the guards...Mazelinka! Huh. I don’t think she’s home.”

Zelda took in a deep breath, pinching the bridge of her nose between two fingers and setting her other hand on her hip. “Julian...tell me we didn’t just break in.”

Julian shrugged and dusted a bit of dirt off his shoulder. “We did, we did, but desperate times call for…”

He trailed off, meeting Zelda’s displeased expression, and smiled somewhat sheepishly. “...for dubious measures. She seems to be out, though. Lucky for us, she doesn’t like with when I come in through the window -”

“I can’t  _ imagine _ why she wouldn’t -”

“Ohh. The window, no, did we step on the…?” Julian froze, panic clear on his face as he slowly turned back toward the window. He looked around Zelda’s shoulder to the curly tendrils of yellow flowers, now looking ragged where they sprouted from the window box. Their petals furled and unfurled, grasping curiously after them, and Julian seemed to visibly deflate. “Look at that, we stepped on the dragon’s breath. I’m in for an earful.”

He dragged a hand across his face when the door started to rattle, a grunt from outside as it’s shaken free from the crooked frame. The portly woman who entered looked startled when she came inside and faced not only Julian, but also Zelda, and then irate when her gaze fell on the displaced dirt and the trampled dragon’s breath in the window box.

“Ilya! Did you come in the window again, you slippery boy?” She shuffled through the doorway quickly, adjusting her shawl around her shoulders. 

“Ah, Mazelinka, aren’t you a sight for the sore eye.” Julian straightened too quickly, striking his head against the ceiling with a wince. Undeterred, he swept down to offer his arm and a kiss on her cheek, which she seemed to accept with a soft scoff to herself. “Love the shawl, is it new?”

“You know it isn’t.” Mazelinka deadpanned, setting her fists on her hips. “I thought you might be about when I saw the guards...oh?”

She peered around Julian and looked Zelda up and down through wisps of wiry hair. “Now who do we have here?”

“This is Zelda. A… new friend of mine.” Julian answered, and Mazelinka grinned, a wide and toothy smile that made Zelda nearly instantly relax. 

“Is that so? Make yourself comfortable, Zelda.” Their host moved into the kitchen, then squawked at the state of the yellow flowers in the window. Julian rushed to speak, eye wide in panic as Mazelinka assessed the damages. 

“Ah, Mazelinka, I did that, I take full responsibility for that, I wasn’t thinking, and I -”

“- Don’t fit through the door, I know. Fetch the round pot for me, will you?” Mazelinka picked up a wooden spoon and waved idly toward the cupboard. Julian blinked a few times, then nodded, making his way over and rummaging through the cabinet in question. 

Zelda realized after a moment that there was a sort of sway in his step, and when their eyes met, his smile seemed so much weaker than before. Immediately, she remembered the bite, setting the cluster of starstrand on the table and stepping a bit closer to him. He told her the bite wouldn’t last, but...his gaze lingered on her strangely, a little more dazed the longer he stared. 

“Julian, are you okay?” She asked, watching his profile as he reached past her and dragged a well used cauldron from the cupboard in the wall. 

“I’m fine, why?” He dropped the pot into place over the fire, surveying her with a spark of interest in his hazy eye. “More importantly, how are you? Do you feel strange in any way right now? Experiencing any tingling? Some people have described a tingling sensation after.”

Mazelinka raised a brow from where she stood, pausing mid preparation of whatever dish she intended on making. “After what?”

“After using the curse, dear.” Julian reached out, pressing a hand into Zelda’s side where the wound used to be, but quickly reared back as soon as Mazelinka stepped between the two of them. She raised her spoon threateningly, enough for Zelda to lean back and away from smacking range as she spoke. 

“And what did you use it for? What have you gone and done to yourself this time?” 

Julian held his hands out in front of him defensively, but his gaze fell on Zelda even as he addressed Mazelinka. 

“Nothing I wouldn’t do again.”

With a heavy sigh, Mazelinka rolled a dry spring of worrywart between her fingers, sniffling it and clicking her tongue. “Ech. Worrywart’s gone stale. I’ve got more in the garden...pardon me, Zelda.”

She weaved around the two of them to grab a rusty knife, humming a tune and leaving Zelda and Julian alone in the center of the kitchen as she headed out the door. The minute she was gone, Julian slumped against the counter, leaning heavily on one arm. 

“Huh, who would have thought that a bite like that would take so much out of me…” Julian waved a hand as Zelda approached, waving her off as she tried to help him up. “Not to belittle your bite, mind you. I’ve treated a few dozen, unfortunately. You’re the first to make it - well, you and I.”

His gaze was soft until a shadow crossed his brow and he looked away. “They’re not usually aggressive - the eels, I mean. And they wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the...the Count.”

The Count. The murder. A chill ran down Zelda’s spine, reminding her why exactly they were in hiding. Julian stilled, watching her closely. But she knew that until she asked the question, she’d never understand him. All she had to do was ask.

“Why did you come back?”

Judging by the look on his face, Zelda could tell he was thrown by the honest question, especially in the way he seemed to study her all the more closely for it. 

“It doesn’t make sense.” She said quietly, carefully pulling the flower out from behind her ear and twirling it between her fingers. “You escaped a death sentence, and now you’re here, with a bounty on your head and the Countess at your heels.”

Julian was silent for a long, long moment before he sighed, raking a hand through his curls. 

“I need answers.” He said eventually. “If I don’t find the truth here, I’ll lose my mind looking for it. But don’t worry about me. I’ll be alright.”

Zelda realized she must not have looked convinced, because Julian tutted softly, tugging his glove off. He took the flower from her hand and tucked it back behind her ear, idly curling a lock of her damp hair around his finger as he pulled his hand away. 

“As you may have guessed, I have some questions for your master. If you knew…” Julian’s brow furrowed, and his lip curled slightly in the frustration that creased his face. “If you knew the years, the, the  _ distance _ I’ve gone to find him...ah, what does it matter. It’s not like there’s anywhere else I’d rather be.”

Zelda set her palm over his chest, keeping some distance between them as he leaned forward slightly. 

“I don’t know what happened between you and Asra, and I’m sure it’s complicated, but don’t put all your eggs in one basket. I know what it’s like to want answers, I know what it’s like to feel like you’re going to fall to pieces if you don’t get them, but right now there are more important things to worry about. Like covering your ass so Portia doesn’t kill us both if you end up on the gallows before I can find out the truth about your involvement in all this.”

Julian smirked slightly. “Well if I’m on the gallows, she can’t get to me, now can she?”

“Something tells me she’d find a way just to strangle you herself.”

Julian barked a laugh as Mazelinka came back inside, eying him critically before swatting his arm lightly with the wooden spoon she’d tucked into her sash. 

“Ilya, you’re barely on two feet. When is the last time you slept?”

He shrugged, folding his arms neatly across his chest. “Ah, well, ever since the curse, I don’t need it the way I used to, dear.”

“Says who?” Mazelinka tapped him again, a little more firmly this time - something told Zelda that was a warning. “Your eye is rolling. Curse shmurse.”

“I’m fine, really. Haven’t felt this good in a while.” His gaze flicked toward the floor at Zelda’s feet, trailing eventually up to meet her eyes and Mazelink raised a steely brow. 

After a few moments, she sighs, tossing a handful of grain into the cauldron and stirring. “I’ll celebrate after you’ve rested. Go on now, shoo.”

Julian stood there for a long moment, and when Mazelinka shot him a withering look, sighed and nodded slowly. “...just until the soup is done.”

His eye wandered Zelda’s features in a slow, thorough path, as though fixated on something. Or...maybe it was just the exhaustion making her think that. 

“Just til the soup is done.” Mazelinka looked up, glanced between Julian and Zelda, then groaned. “Well, will you survive that long? Assuming you can unglue yourself from the floor.”

“I’ll survive.” Julian said, face flaming as he retreated to the nearby curtain. He squeezed Zelda’s shoulder as he passed, pausing briefly to murmur in her ears. “Do excuse me, Zelda. You’re in good company.”

He pulled away and disappeared behind the curtain, leaving Zelda and Mazelinka alone together to share a disbelieving look. Mazelinka cracked her well-worn knuckles with a billowing sigh.

“He won’t do it. He’ll be pacing around unless someone pins him to the bed. One of us needs to keep an eye on the brew, though...hmmm.” Mazelinka raised a brow, watching her over the bubbling pot. “Well, Zelda, you’re the guest. Would you rather watch him, or should I?”

“I’ll keep an eye on the pot. Gods know I wouldn’t know how to handle him like you probably do. Want to keep the spoon in case he argues?” Zelda smiled cheekily, and Mazelinka laughed, swatting her shoulder with one hand and giving her the spoon as she passed. 

“Oh, I like you.” She chuckled, appraising the golden brew in the pot with a sniff. “Not much longer now. Just give it a few good stirs to keep the worrywart from sticking.”

Mazelinka moved to accommodate Zelda, and she took up the ladle, staring into the swirling pot. Zelda had to stifle a laugh at the sound of muffled squabbling once Mazelinka rustled through the partition, but it wasn’t long before Mazelinka returned. 

The older woman took a sip from the ladle, nodding and sighing in satisfaction. “That ought to do it.”

She filled a bowl and disappeared with it past the curtain, a louder fuss kicking up this time. Zelda couldn’t hold back her snort of laughter that time, approaching the window to keep busy and smoothing her fingers over the trampled dragon’s breath. 

A simple spark of magic, and their grasping movements slowed, eventually curling up to rest. The spiralled up and tucked their petals away just as Mazelinka emerged, refilling the empty bowl and pausing as she looked over at the yellow flowers. 

“A magician, eh? Can’t say you don’t look the type.” Mazelinka set the bowl off to the side, setting her hands on her hips once again. “Now, Zelda, I imagine you’ll be needing a place to sleep.”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t impose. Besides, I should probably be getting home…” Zelda quickly shook her head, giving Mazelinka a grateful smile. “Could you just give me directions to go back up to the heart district? My shop is near there, I should be able to find my way back alright from there.”

Mazelinka gave her a long, long look, then nodded, guiding Zelda to the door and quietly beginning to explain the directions back up toward the center of Vesuvia. It took a few repetitions and a bit of laughter between them, but eventually Zelda figured out the right direction, then leaned down and gave Mazelinka a hug. 

“Thank you for your hospitality.” She said, feeling the older woman squeeze her back and smiling at her when she pulled away. “I’d tell you to ask Julian to stay out of trouble, but…”

“He won’t.” Mazelinka grinned, patting her shoulder before nudging her out the door. “Now, off you get! Safe travels, Zelda. You’re welcome any time.”

And with that, Zelda set off into the night, waving over her shoulder and making her way slowly back home - and eventually, back to the palace.

After a long, long walk, Zelda finally found herself trudging back through the garden. She was bone tired by the time she stepped past the fountain, the nighttime air cold on her skin, but a soft voice called to her from a place in the back of her mind.

_...worried. _

Zelda paused midstep, glancing up toward the willow as she realized the voice she was hearing was Faust’s. 

“Faust? Are you up there?”

Slowly, the serpent slithered down the tree, but kept herself out of Zelda’s reach with an angry look clear on her little face. 

_ Worried! _

Faust hung from a low branch just above Zelda’s head, upside down and swaying gently like a vine in the breeze. Zelda sighed softly, giving Faust an apologetic smile and setting her things down to reach both arms up to her. 

“I know, I was gone a long time...I’m sorry, Faust. I didn’t expect it to happen, or I would have told you I would be away. You have every right to be upset with me.” Zelda sat there for a long moment, holding Faust’s gaze before the snake seemed to sigh and grumble quietly. 

_ Waited. Cold.  _

“I know it’s cold, sweetheart, and you’re so nice to have waited for me. Why don’t you come down, and we can go in, snuggle, and warm up - I’ll even put the fireplace on for us.” Zelda gave Faust a hopeful smile, and whatever resolve the familiar had seemed to have collapsed, as she quite eagerly dropped into Zelda’s arms. She nosed her way around Zelda’s top, tucking herself under it until only Faust’s head and the end of her tail stuck out near her collarbone.

Zelda smiled, stroking a finger down Faust’s head as she adjusted her bag. “Better?”

A feeling of contentment answered Zelda, and she lowered herself to the ground, her back to the trunk of the willow. She just needed a few moments to relax, and then she’d make her way back up to her room. For now she was just grateful to not be alone, and judging by the way Faust nuzzled into her cheek, she had a feeling the familiar felt the same way. 

It was easy for Zelda to clear her mind of tumultuous distractions, the sounds of night creatures filling her ears. It was peaceful here - a part of her wished that Asra was there, too, sprawled out in the soft grass and telling her about wherever his latest journey had taken him. But thinking of him lifted her spirits, letting her hold on until everything was over and things could go back to normal. 

But...did she really want normal? Things were stressful, sure, but...normal meant being lonely. Normal was Asra being gone for days at a time, with no company and not much to do with herself, save for the interactions she had with other shop owners at the end of the day when she left to get things for dinner. For all she’d been dealing with since coming to the palace, she couldn’t quite say she missed that. 

Movement in her top drew her from her thoughts, and Zelda watched as Faust slithered from her collar and down into her lap.

_ Tree.  _

Faust made her way around the back of the willow, peeking out from the side of the trunk until Zelda scooted across the grass to follow. When she reached the other side, Faust was swaying in place and staring intently at a certain place on the tree. She leaned in to get a better look, and then Zelda reeled back, so fast she would have fallen on her ass if she hadn’t already been sitting on it. 

That couldn’t be. It didn’t make sense. She was looking right at the bark of the willow tree, right at the point where a name was carved into it, but despite how stark and permanent it was, she couldn’t comprehend it. 

How could her own name be carved into this tree? 

Trembling, she traced the grooves of each letter, recognizing the feel of the magic embedded within them. But...when would he have done this? It looked years old, but she and Asra hadn’t known each other that long...or so she’d been led to believe. 

It could be possible, she realized, if this was from the time before she could remember. She’d already seen a memory in the library, one of her and Asra shopping for a Masquerade, and that would have had to have been before three years ago. The last one was held the night the Count died, and that could have been any number of them from years before…

Cool scales on her arm pulled her from her thoughts, Faust’s tail wrapping around her arm as she leaned in to stare into her eyes. 

_ Asra.  _

The rest of the world faded away, and then…

_ She could see Asra, wanting to call out to him, but unable to summon her own voice. She felt so small, and she realized she was when Asra leaned down and scooped her up.  _

_ “Where have you been all day, hm? Not squeezing certain doctors…?” _

**_Fun!_ **

_ Asra chuckled. “Ah, well, I suppose I can’t blame you for that, Faust. He doesn’t make it hard.” His expression darkens. “Then again, he certainly isn’t making it easy, either.”  _

_ His finger tapped her nose, and Zelda realized with a start that she was seeing things through Faust’s eyes...one of her memories. _

_ “Don’t have too much fun with him, alright? He’ll start to think you like him. Ilya’s started to think I like him. But...you and I know who my heart belongs to.” _

_ A fond expression crossed his face, and he cuddled Faust closer. She tucked her head under his chin, nuzzling close as he spoke. “I can’t...I can’t stop thinking about her, Faust. I dream of her, if I’m lucky. But every day she’s gone makes the longing worse…” _

_ Asra’s voice became somewhat choked, and Faust let out a small noise, lifting her head to nose at the single tear that rolled down his cheek before he swiped it away. He sighed and looked down at Faust. “I know, you miss her, too. Or at the very least her expert chin scratches.” _

**_Where?_ **

_ “To a place I can’t follow, yet. But don’t worry, Faust. We’re getting close.” He murmured, nuzzling her nose with his own, before a voice called out to him from beyond Zelda’s field of vision. _

_ “Asra!”  _

_ Asra groaned quietly as a figure leaned over the sill of the library, a wide grin on the man’s face.It’s Julian above him and Faust, waving from the window. “Taking another nap, hm? Well, while you dreamed away under your tree, I made a breakthrough. If you don’t hurry up here, I’m going to cure the whole city without you.” _

_ Asra snorted and brought Faust up to his shoulders, letting her curl around them. “I highly doubt that.” He called, then smiled at his familiar. “Let’s go, Faust.”  _

_ He turned his back on Julian and the window, walking deeper into the garden as darkness swallowed Zelda once more. _

As Zelda came to, she felt a single tear slip down her cheek, one that she quickly swept away when Faust made her way into Zelda’s lap. She wasn’t sure why she was crying, but...something told her she’d forgotten that, too. 

_ Okay? _

“I will be, Faust.” She murmured, kissing the top of the serpent’s head. “I think I just have a lot of questions for Asra when I see him next. Every time I take a step forward in learning something about him, or think he opens up to me...I feel like I end up taking two steps back.”

And that was assuming he’d answer the questions she asked. But...maybe she could try now, she realized, her gaze turning to the grand fountain that she’d used to reach out to him what felt like forever ago. 

The crickets buzzed in anticipation as she approached the water, Faust coiled around her shoulder and swayed happily at the prospect of seeing Asra again. Zelda slowly unhooked the emerald from around her neck, and thought she thought it was only the rapid pounding of her heart making her feel otherwise, she could have sworn up and down that the birdsong came to a crescendo as she lowered herself to the edge of the fountain and held the pendant over its surface. 

And then, just as the birdsong went silent, just as Zelda began to loosen her grip on the golden chain, the water bloomed into vibrant color. It distorted and rippled, casting arcs of rainbow light across the facets of the emerald, before finally another face replaced her own and the reflection of the pool stilled until it looked like glass. 

Asra was leaning over the water, droplets striking his side of the surface as he drank from cupped palms. Zelda braced her palms on the inner edge of the fountain’s lip, eyes wide as she watched him, watched the moonlight from wherever he was cast silver rays on his hair and made his curls seem to glow. 

“Asra?” She asked softly, but his hands fell away from his face, revealing a relaxed smile as he met her gaze through the water. He reached out, flattening his hand over the surface of the water, and Zelda couldn’t help but lay her own over his even if she couldn’t quite touch him. 

“Did you call me, Zelda? I was just thinking of you.” He ran his other hand through his hair, but Zelda’s eyes were immediately drawn down to his lips, watching a bead of water trail down the corner of his mouth as he spoke. “Have you been busy? You look like you’ve been put through your paces. So does Faust.”

Zelda looked down to the edge of the fountain, seeing where Faust had curled up beside her, remembering just how much she’d been shown by the familiar in the last few days. Clearly she made a face, because when she looked back toward Asra, he made an expression like a cat that just ate the canary. 

“Oh, I recognize that look, Zelda. Am I in trouble?” He asked, brow lifted, and Zelda sighed. 

It took her a few moments to find the words, eventually settling her chin in her palm. “No, you’re not in trouble. But...I have some questions.”

“Go ahead.” Asra prompted gently, eyes filled with curiosity as he waited for her first question, but...she wasn’t sure where to start. Between the tree, everything in the library...and the strange ache in her chest that she desperately wanted to voice, but couldn’t find the words for, even when it drew her back to him again and again.

Asra’s voice broke into her train of thought, drawing her focus back to him. “You’re looking very serious right now, Zelda. These must be important questions.”

“...they are.” Zelda said, dragging her fingertips through the water after a long moment. “I’m just not sure where to start.”

“The beginning is always a good place.”

“Good as any.” She echoed, then paused to turn and face him fully with her legs tucked under herself. It took her a moment to word her thoughts, but Asra’s patience and Faust’s head resting lightly on her thigh were encouraging.

“There’s a tree…” She began, watching Asra’s face as she spoke. “It’s the tree right by this fountain. The big willow you can see even from the library.”

Asra nodded. “I remember the tree. I used to nap under it for hours, dreaming…” He frowned and shook his head, then leaned forward to gaze at her once more. “Why do you ask?”

“This is going to sound ridiculous…” Zelda muttered, and Faust bumped her elbow to make her continue. “It...has my name carved into it.  _ Zelda _ , plain as day.”

“It does…?” He looked confused for a long moment before it seemed to dawn on him. “It does. I’d forgotten about the name...I was so lost in those days.”

Zelda cast a glance toward the willow, chin propped in her hand. “Did I forget, too?”

They rarely talked about this - the gaping chasm in place of her memories, spanning everything until she woke up in the Honeypot three years ago. It wasn’t hard to figure out something was missing, but...she never knew what it was. Her first memories were of Asra, helping her recover from whatever had happened before, but the time prior was a complete haze. Any attempt to remember led to excruciating headaches or blinding pain in her chest, and though Asra helped her soothe those aches, he always told her not to try and remember. 

But she wanted to remember. She wanted to know.

“Zelda…” Asra murmured, his eyes downcast. “If I told you, and it hurt you...what if I can’t fix it this time? What if something goes wrong?” He sighed and raked a hand through his curls. “I don’t know if I can answer these questions on my own...what a conundrum.”

“Asra?” She prompted gently, unsure of where he was going with this. A light huff of laughter escaped him even as his cheeks flushed, gaze piercing through the water between them. 

“I...I think you’re ready now. You’ve likely been ready far longer than I have. But...this would be easier to talk about in person, don’t you think?”

Zelda crossed her arms, and her brow furrowed, an expression she was pretty sure making Asra have to hold back a smile as he looked at her. “If I have to wait until you get back for an answer…”

Asra only extended a hand, as if the veil of water wasn’t separating them. 

“Take my hand, Zelda.”

Zelda hesitated, her hand hovering above the water for a long, long moment, until Asra soothed her worries as if she’d voiced them aloud. 

“Trust me, Zel, you’re ready. I promise you can do this. Just...reach out and take it.” He still waited, arm outstretched and a smile on his lips, and all she could see in his eyes was the unshakable confidence in belief in her that she really could do it. It urged her forward, and she reached out, arm slipping into the chilled water…

And then a warm hand gripped hers, pulling her forward into the water and down into darkness.

Arms encircled Zelda as she was pulled out of the water, letting her stumble straight into Asra’s chest. He hugged her fully once he was sure she was alright, resting his chin on her shoulder and letting out a small puff of air. Zelda melted into him in return, her hands smoothing up his back to hold him close, nose pressed into the crook of his neck and breathing in the smoky scent of lapsang souchong that seemed to cling to him no matter what he did. 

They stood there for a long moment, frozen in time, before Asra pulled back a little with color clear on his cheeks. 

“It’s good to see you.” He murmured, his hands shifting to rest on her arms, one of his thumbs rubbing small circles as he spoke. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” Zelda murmured, already falling into the habit of picking at his clothes as she straightened his sash. “I wasn’t sure when I’d get to see….oh,  _ wow _ …”

Now that she had the chance to look around properly, she wasn’t sure she could believe her eyes. One hand pressed to her mouth as she took everything in, watching the way the colors swirled and chased each other in midair. Reflections danced endlessly through the hazy mist, light bouncing off of bizarre plants that somehow seemed to perpetually stretch and shrink all at once. 

“Where  _ are _ we?” Zelda breathed, and Asra smiled as she looked back toward him. 

“It’s a gateway.” He explained, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “From one world to the next. It doesn't really exist, but you found me here anyway. Does it call to you, I wonder?” 

He offered his hand, and Zelda easily moved into his orbit, lacing their fingers together as he led her to the edge of the water. He smiled brightly at her before gazing down into the pool. 

“There’s so many things I could show you here...or things this place could show us. I wonder what it has in store for us?” He hummed in thought, then looked at her again. “Just keep close to me, Zelda. We wouldn’t want you to get lost.”

He winked, then took a single step out into the water. Instead of sinking down into it, the water turned glassy, shimmering but holding his weight. It made him grin before he tugged her forward, steadying her as she wobbled until she finally gained her bearings. Below them, the pool seemed to suddenly surge to fathomless depths where strange luminescent shapes swarmed under their feet, lighting up as they took slow steps across the surface. The stars overhead echoed the beating rhythm of their steps, making Zelda smile before Asra turned her chin toward him to regain her attention. 

“We’ll start here, but if you get a headache...you have to tell me, Zelda. We should be careful.”

“Why would I get a headache?” She asked softly, feeling him squeeze her hand in his own as he answered. 

“Because if you force the memories too much, you’ll hurt yourself, Zelda. Maybe beyond repair. This place can help, but...only so much.”

Together, they walked further into the oasis, hand in hand and simply enjoying one another’s company. It was only a little ways into their walk that Zelda saw a shadow in the foliage, darting through her peripheral...but there was nothing there when she turned to look. So she returned her attention to Asra, listening as he spoke again. 

“I thought this place might have those answers. A place where reality isn’t really reality. There’s so much to learn here.” He let out a sigh before he stopped, turning to face her, and his hands slid gently up her arms. They stopped at her elbows and Asra pulled her in closer, his cheeks flushed pink. “But there’s danger, too. We need to tread carefully. Especially if we’re going to try and get those memories back.” 

His head tilted then, searching for something in her eyes as he held her close. “If that’s something you want…?”

Zelda couldn’t help the smile that blossomed on her lips, and she leaned forward, embracing him once again with arms around his waist. “More than anything, Asra. I just...didn’t know it was an option before.”

Asra sighed heavily, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “...it wasn’t before. But your ability to come here wasn’t a coincidence, Zelda. I think you’d be surprised at what you’re capable of now.”

He smiled as he pressed his forehead against hers, his other hand cupping her jaw carefully. “I’ve had the privilege of watching you get stronger every day. Since I left, you’ve grown in leaps and bounds. You’re strong enough. Maybe you’ve always been strong enough, but...I didn’t want to risk it.” 

He clutched her a little tighter. “Was that selfish of me…?”

Zelda’s brow furrowed, and she leaned back, trying to meet his eyes. “Why would that be selfish?”

“Well, if you got hurt from pushing your memory too far...I’m afraid of what that would mean for both of us. That’s why we need to be cautious, even if your magic is getting stronger.” He paused, taking a deep breath before he continued. “Which reminds me of something, actually.”

Asra slowly released her and made his way to a bush at the edge of the pool, trailing his fingers over its leaves. “It’s about you calling me master. I know I said I don’t care what you call me, but...how do I put this?”

He turned on his heel after a moment, expression intense as he placed his hands together. “I hate it. I don’t want you to call me that anymore. Ever.”

Zelda floundered, wrapping her arms around herself in confusion. “But...I don’t understand. You  _ are _ my master, Asra, you’ve taught me everything I know…”

Raking a hand through his hair, Asra took a few moments to put the words together, Zelda’s tension building with every passing beat until he finally continued. 

“I only returned what was already yours, Zelda. Calling me master is  _ entirely _ beneath you.” Asra reached out, offering his hand to her with a gentle smile. “And I didn’t teach you everything. You took over the garden on the roof, you figured out how to cook, you’ve been trying new hobbies...I only took you part of the way to where you are now. I’d rather us be equals, wouldn’t you?”

She smiled at that, and she nodded, setting her hand neatly in Asra’s. “I’d like that.”

Asra hummed softly, watching her for a long moment before his smile became coy. “I don’t know how much time we have left together, tonight, but…I want to make the most of it. There’s a whole world to see out here, you know. If you want to explore it with me.” 

He clasped both of her hands in his own, his excitement spreading to light up his face. “Well? What do you say, Zelda?”

Zelda came to the realization in a few short moments that this was the first time he’d ever offered to take her with him that she could remember - and if she didn’t say something then, she might lose her chance forever. So she smiled broadly, stepping closer, excitement building at the realization that he truly wanted her there. 

“I want to go with you.” She said, tone eager and cheeks pink. For a moment she worried she was too eager, but Asra just laughed, giving her a warm and wide smile brighter than she’d ever seen on him. 

“Then what are we waiting for? Ahh, I’m excited to see what we find...but first, let me take you to my favorite place.” 

As they turned to the left, it felt as if a lush jungle had popped from the spoil as if it were nothing but a dandelion. The world here seemed to change as much as the stars overhead, Zelda realized, as Asra led them both into the foliage. They ducked beneath massive fronds and climbed over roots as they headed deeper into the trees, and the whole time, Asra never let go of her hand. He kept glancing back toward her, as if happily surprised to see her still there - every time he looked, she squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back.

Soon the fronds and unusual trees gave way to a wide clearing, luminescent creatures chittering as they arrived. They swirled around them, bouncing with excitement, and one landing on Zelda’s nose made her cross her eyes to see it. 

“They must like you.” Asra mused, right as a few landed in his hair with contented chirps of their own. Zelda giggled, reaching up and carefully fixing some of the hair that fell into his eyes. 

“They must like you, too.”

Asra shrugged. “I think they’re just used to me. But you...you’re new and exciting. Who wouldn’t be happy to meet you?” 

“What makes me so interesting?” Zelda laughed, watching as Asra lifted her hand to his lips. When he let go, she didn’t expect him to grab her and pull her down with him into the silken sands. He tucked one arm behind his head and wrapped the other around her shoulders, keeping her close as he found immediate comfort. 

“Maybe they feel like they want to tell you everything.” He murmured, twirling a piece of her hair between his fingers. “I imagine they must feel very comfortable around you. Maybe you make them feel like they’re at home.”

More of the glowing creatures rise from the fronts, circling around them and weaving in between the narrow spaces left between them. It was so easy for Zelda to rest her head on his shoulder, to drape an arm loosely over his waist, and simply become enraptured in the way he seemed so relaxed here. 

“There’s something about you that calls to them. Maybe they find they just can’t take their eyes off you...or maybe they don’t know why. There’s a lot to like. How could they choose just one reason?” He smiled sweetly, and Zelda felt her cheeks heating as he swept a piece of hair out of her face, combing through it so his hand rested on the back of his neck.

“Asra…” Zelda started, heart pounding as he drew closer, and he parted his lips as if to say something before a booming in the distance interrupted them both.

They both sat up, and Asra frowned, listening to the rumbling as it carried through the air. 

“Is that...thunder?” He muttered, then glanced toward her with a chuckle. “That’s never happened before. You must have brought the rains with you, Zelda.” 

But he looked eagerly to where the storm gathered and got to his feet, extending a hand to her and pulling her carefully to her feet when she took it.. “Come on...I want to see it for myself.” 

The oasis faded to thick jungle that muffled their footsteps, thunder booming all around them as they ducked between trees for cover from the rain. But between strikes, at the very edge of Zelda’s hearing, a low growl rumbled before the thunder buried it once more. She turned her head to look, startled as the foliage parted and a path opened before her. 

She turned her head to ask Asra, only to realize with a flush of panic that he was gone. Her hand felt cold and empty now without his in it. Her stomach turned as she drew her hands up to her chest, listening to the leaves rattle as wind rushed down the murky path and ripped at her hair. A lurking shadow beckoned, whispering her name at a crescendo that turned into a wailing moan.

_ Zelda… _

Shadows licked at her heels, tempting her to move, to heed the call, whispering oh so sweetly that she only needed to take the first step...

“...elda...Zelda!”

Asra gripped her around her arms, pulling her in tight to his chest and ripping her away from whatever compulsion had gripped her. When she glanced back over her shoulder, nothing was there - no darkness, no growling shadows, just sand and sky. 

“I’m sorry.” She murmured, leaning into his embrace. “I thought I heard…”

He let out a shaky breath and leaned back, hands on her shoulders as he looked her in the eye. “It’s alright. First thing about this place, Zelda - it shouldn’t hurt you, as long as you’re careful.” 

Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, and she averted her eyes, but Asra merely wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Going down a dark path...next time, just turn away. Okay?”

“Okay.” She echoed, and Asra left his arm around her shoulders as they both turned away - but she didn’t miss the way he watched the shadows out of the corner of his eye. 

“Come on...I don’t know how much longer the rain will last.”

Asra stayed closer that time as they followed the sound of thunder, the arm around her shoulders instead linking through her own as they picked their way through the jungle. They turned around a tree trunk and Asra stopped suddenly with a sharp gasp and his eyes blown wide. 

“Is this all...because of you?”

Ahead of them, the ground dropped off into a steep cliff, ravine cleaving the earth and filling with mist that began to spill over its edges. And the storm...the storm gathered in the chasm, black clouds streaked with blue lightning, water falling upwards in glittering spirals and clinging to the rocky cliffs. It was...utterly breathtaking, Zelda realized, pulling Asra with her as they took a step out from the cover of the trees. 

“I’ve never seen anything like this…” Asra murmured, reaching out to touch the rain as they approached the edge of the storm. 

And then the world shifted suddenly, clouds shooting up all around them - completely drenching them both in rain as the storm turned itself right side up. 

Zelda couldn’t help but laugh, holding her hands out in the pouring rain, uncaring as it soaked through her clothes and made her hair cling to her cheeks. She turned to look at Asra, beaming from ear to ear and droplets of water flying from the ends of her hair, but her heart stuttered in her chest and any thought she had wanted to voice died in her throat. 

Asra was always beautiful, but gods...he was something else like this. It made her heart ache and sing all at once to look at him, and sent heat straight down her spine when he turned those bright amethyst eyes on her and whispered her name so reverently she could have sworn she was dreaming. 

Drops of water clung to his eyelashes, catching the magenta starlight spiraling overhead. The rain soaked his curls, weighing them down until the water trailed down his cheeks and catching in the corners of his mouth. Zelda stepped closer slowly, transfixed as she slowly passed her thumb over his damp lower lip. 

There was something cautious and hopeful in the air between them, but she didn’t want to speak, afraid of breaking the connection between them.

Emboldened, Zelda rested one hand gently on his chest, the exposed skin slick under her fingertips before she flattened her palm against him. Asra’s hand fell to her hip as she stepped forward, and he moved back willingly, their eyes locked together as she led them backwards until his back pressed against the bark of a palm tree. His other hand caught her waist as the leaves seemed to grow overhead, trunk bending in an effort to protect them both from the growing storm. 

And then, before she could lose the confidence, Zelda gripped his shirt in both hands and pulled her lips to his, kissing him like he was the air she needed to breathe. 

The world felt like it melted away until it was just them, and nothing else mattered to her beyond the shelter of this palm and the taste of the vanilla lip balm she knew he’d stolen from her but couldn’t quite find the motivation to mind. 

Asra surged forward, arms wrapping around her as he kissed her back with a desperation she hadn’t expected. He crushed her against him, pulling her up on her toes as one hand cradled the base of her head. Her own hands slid up, one cupping his jaw and the other tangled in his hair as she tried to get impossible closer in that moment. 

They broke apart after a few moments, but Asra didn’t leave space between them for long, his lips following a path away from hers and briefly across her jaw before Zelda pulled him in for a second kiss. Where the first one was impassioned and all in the moment, this one quickly turned sweeter, as if they’d both realized they could savor the other a little longer before they had to break away. 

Their foreheads pressed together, Asra’s face redder than she’d ever seen it even as Zelda realized her own blush had started to creep down her neck. Her hands slowly slid from his hair, tenderly cradling his cheeks and stroking her thumb across his skin as he leaned into the gentle touch.   
  
“You stole my lip balm.” She teased, and Asra looked a little dazed as he pulled back slightly. 

“Your...what?”

“My lip balm.” Zelda teased, tapping her thumb playfully against his lower lip. “You always ask me for some, but I didn’t think you’d take it.”

Asra laughed after a moment, kissing the inside of her wrist before leaning in again. “Oh, you want it back? Here, let me just…”

Zelda yelped and giggled as he pulled her in again, sealing the few spaces between them. His fingertips trailed gently over her features, and when his thumb swept over her lips, she tried to playfully nip it. It earned her a chuckle as his hand fell to rest on the side of her neck, holding her carefully close as his eyes dropped down to her lips and he parted his own - 

The storm began to roar around them, turning fierce and whipping them both with the wind as it picked up. The loud wails drowned out was Asra was saying until he pulled them away from the palm, deeper into the shelter of the shadowy jungle. 

Long shadows grew around them, darkening the dense foliage further. The storm stretched beyond the ravine, chasing at their heels until Asra pulled them to a stop and pulled her into his arms. He pressed a lingering kiss to her brow before he pulled back, giving her a bittersweet smile. “I think it’s time for you to go. This place...it can change on a whim. It’s not smart for either of us to stay any longer.”

Zelda nodded, and Asra squeezed her one last time, starting to step back. “I’m happy you came, Zelda. Sharing this with you is an experience I’ll treasure. But I’ll send you home, then...and I’ll see you soon.”

But before he could fully pull away, Zelda grabbed his sash, pulling him close and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. 

“I’m holding you to that.” She murmured, and she saw him practically beam before his hand pressed gently over her eyes and obscured her vision. Reality wobbled the air bent, and she felt as if she were falling back into the trees…

And then she sat up on the edge of the fountain with a gasp, heart pounding in her chest as she reexamined her surroundings. Faust lifted her head from her slumber and tilted it slightly, clearly confused, but no less pleased to see her. 

_ Asra? _

Slowly, Zelda’s lips curled into a smile, and she nodded as Faust slithered into her lap. “Yes...yes, I saw Asra. And he…”

_ He? _ Faust prompted, perking slightly, but Zelda had to grab her bag and bury her face in it to muffle the realization that eventually settled into her mind. 

She screamed into the fabric of her bag, Faust giving her a perplexed look as she laughed and peeked up from the material. 

“I kissed him, Faust. He kissed me back.”

_ Kiss!! _

Faust lifted herself and tapped her nose against Zelda’s, clearly giddy as she was swept up by the magician and cuddled close to her racing heart. 

“Yes, yes, kiss! And don’t worry, I’ll tell you all the details…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Chapter Title: Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine)


	8. Witchcraft

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW for discussion of animal neglect ahead. It's not graphic, but it's undoubtedly there, and I think it's better to be safe than sorry.
> 
> Chapter title: Witchcraft by Vian Izak & Juniper Vale

The kiss lingered on Zelda’s mind for the rest of the night and into the following morning, replaying it over and over after she explained to an equally excited Faust what had happened when Asra pulled her through the fountain. She felt light as air, and she kept replaying the moment over and over again, hopeful that his return would be soon so she could try to replicate that feeling again.

But she had to squash down the fantasies for now, because as much as she wanted to daydream until he came home, she had her own business to attend to.

Zelda stepped out of the carriage that morning and into the bustling town square, full of early rising vendors hawking their wares to equally early rising patrons. A baker set out fresh loaves at a stall nearby, filling the air with their tantalizing scent that just begged for Zelda to pick one up for herself. And she would have, if she didn’t have an agenda. 

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, Countess Nadia stepped out into the square behind her. A hush fell over the crowd as they noticed the extravagant carriage they’d emerged from, murmurs rippling through the square. 

“...have I been recognized so soon into our excursion?” Nadia muttered, and Zelda had to stifle a snort as she turned to the baker and picked up a loaf of bread despite it not being her preferred pumpkin bread. 

Nadia had approached Zelda that morning, asking for help hiding her identity so she could spend some time in the city. Specifically so she could see it through the people’s eyes - how could Zelda say no when she looked so determined?

“Well…” Zelda started, glancing over Nadia’s attire.

She’d borrowed some of Zelda’s clothes to have a more casual outfit tailored, but it still looked quite...upper class. The harem pants were made of fine lilac silk, paired with a snug green and gold blouse with short sleeves. The sash around her waist was a deeper purple, matching her headscarf, but what really stuck out was the rings and jewelry she wore on a daily basis. But Zelda didn’t want to make her feel bad - she’d tried so  _ hard _ to blend, but she stuck out as much as she usually did by sheer presence alone. 

“It’s the carriage.” She decided, and Nadia’s brow furrowed as she looked back toward the vehicle in question. 

“The carriage…? Ah, yes, I see what you mean. This was the most nondescript carriage I could find, but I suppose it does stand out a bit.” 

It was expertly crafted, well carved, and lovingly painted. Nadia looked between the crowd and the carriage, frown deepening before she looked to Zelda. 

“...surely they are not unused to finery? Lucio was once more extravagant with his projects, to the point of sacrificing utility. This is hardly a fraction of it.” She shrugged, offering her arm to Zelda with a smile. “No matter. If the carriage is a problem, we shall simply distance ourselves from it.”

Zelda smiled as she tucked her hand into Nadia’s arm, giving the Countess a teasing smile. “Should I feel special? I’m escorting the Countess on a stroll through the city.”

Nadia laughed, shaking her head. “No, no, none of that. The excursion I have planned is for me to enjoy time with my friend, not for you to spend time with the Countess. Tomorrow I will return to business, as I’ve arranged for a meeting with Praetor Vlastomil at his estate - but today, all I hope for is to tour the city, without trappings of class or expectation. It’s high time I get to know Vesuvia.”

Zelda patted Nadia’s arm lightly, giving her a chuckle and a relaxed smile. “Of course, Nadia. I’m happy to help any way I can.”

“And I am grateful for it. Come, we mustn't keep the gondolier waiting.” Nadia tugged her into motion, and she frowned, her brows drawing together. 

“Gondolier…?”

Nadia gave Zelda an amused look. “Surely you didn’t think I’d drag you about on foot.”

Placing a hand on Zelda’s shoulder, Nadia led her through the square to a small dock set into the canal. They stepped into the gondola together, Nadia’s hand remaining on her shoulder guiding her down to sit under the awning together. 

“I wonder how much Vesuvia has changed in my absence.” Nadia mused, tugged her scarf around her face to adjust it. “Will I be able to recognize the differences?” 

Zelda set a hand on hers, and the Countess sighed, relaxing under her wordless reassurance. “The statue garden first, I think. It was commissioned by my late husband. I’m told it’s quite pleasant there. I should like to find out for myself - if you have no objections, of course.”

“I’ll be honest, the statue garden isn’t exactly a frequently visited location for the common folk.” Zelda folded her hands in her lap, trying to avoid picking at the pretty polish Portia had put on her nails. “If you really want to see what the day to day is like...why don’t we go through the floating market instead?”

“The floating market?” Nadia echoed, before realization dawned on her face. “Ah...yes, down the Palazzo Aurelia. I think I remember it. Very well - how can I say no?”

Soon, the canal widened, and they joined the other boats drifting idly through a grand market floating in the calm waters. Silks draped across the canal, providing shade from the mid-morning sun as the citizens browsed the stalls.”

“Silks! Silks and furs! Get your silks and furs here! Furs and silks, silks and furs?”

“I believe that that merchant is selling silk and furs.” Nadia remarked, making Zelda laugh and nod in agreement. 

“Yeah, the sellers are all pretty vocal up here. I don’t really have a need for silks and furs, but...ah, there we are.” Zelda pointed down the row to a stall tucked just barely out of sight, deep purple canopy shading its wares. “That’s Nonna Lucia’s place over there. She and I trade recipes sometimes, but I buy fabric and embroidery thread from her. Lovely woman, but I don’t speak a lick of Venterrean, so that makes chatting fun.”

“Your grandmother?”

“Oh, no, everyone calls her Nonna. She’s old as dust and she’ll pick at you if she thinks you need to eat, which is usually when she brings out her recipe box.”

Nadia chuckled and nodded. “Perhaps we shall return sometime for pleasure, and you can introduce me to this Nonna Lucia. I speak enough Venterrean to get by.”

They continued their tour through more of the upper shopping districts, Nadia a constant and warm presence beside Zelda. Every so often she would point out a landmark she recognized, the set of her shoulders relaxed a little more. It was so easy for Zelda to forget why they were really there that day - who Nadia really was and what role she had to play. 

“Zelda...I wish we could only see the beauty of Vesuvia. That our day together could be blessed with nothing but luxury. Unfortunately, that is not how the world works. If I am to rule this city properly...I must understand every part of it. I hope that our next destination, however macabre, may help.”

“...where are we going?” Zelda asked slowly, and Nadia sighed heavily, tilting her head back and gazing up toward the sky.

“To the coliseum.”

The coliseum, once upon a time, had been a grandiose structure in the exact center of the city. But within the grandeur was a bloody monument to the death that had occured within its walls, unused since the death of the Count three years prior. As far as Zelda knew, it had been completely abandoned. 

Nadia’s voice broke into the silence between them as they stepped further into the sandy ring, wind sweeping through the empty halls. 

“I remember attending a game here. Three rabid beasts against one of Lucio’s great warriors.” She frowned then, tapping her knuckle against her lip. “Strangely, I cannot remember the face of the man who fought.”

Nadia sighed, leaning in to speak lowly in Zelda’s ear. 

“I feel nothing here...tell me, Zelda, what can you sense?”

When Nadia released her, stepping back a few paces to give her space, Zelda stepped further forward into the arena until she was firmly in the sand. 

One thing Asra had never managed to teach her was her own affinity to the earth - that had come to her all on its own. 

So she sank to her knees, her fingers slipping into the sand, and closed her eyes to let her magic search the area in sweeping arcs. She could see the firm stone walls, long abandoned cells and holding cages, rows upon rows of seats, still tentatively poking at the seams of whatever called to her until she’d searched every inch of the arena. 

...there. A hatch, hidden behind an old gate on the far side of the space. 

Zelda got to her feet, making her way across the arena with Nadia not far from her heels. It took her a few moments, but she managed to clear away the sand with a quick burst of magic that made the rotting wooden door buckle inwards and collapse under the pressure of the spell.

After a few beats of pause, Zelda smiled sheepishly at Nadia, who merely chuckled and peeked down into the hatch. 

“And what’s down this rabbit hole, I wonder?”

She glanced over her shoulder at Zelda, a mischievous smile playing on her lips, and winked before she disappeared down the dark passage with only the scent of honey left behind. 

Zelda hesitated for a few moments before she followed after her, ducking cobwebs that accosted her as she ended up in the tunnel below. She could hear the sound of wild animals and clinking coins, low murmurs as they came closer to the source. She only realized this wasn’t the normal entrance when she and Nadia had to step around a rug blocking the end of the hall, letting them into a truly chaotic underground market. 

“Well, now, someone’s been busy.” Nadia quipped, loosely linking her arm through Zelda’s. “I certainly haven’t approved any permits for a market down here...let’s explore it, shall we?”

“Nadia?”

She shook her head, a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she led Zelda into the market. “Come along, Zelda. I promise I won’t have you arrested for being here. Denying people their illegal spices is hardly my first priority.”

Something in the line of Nadia’s shoulders and the set of her jaw made her both entirely unmistakable and unrecognizable, as somehow, nobody recognized them. Zelda thought perhaps they were just used to not looking too hard at one another in a place like this. 

We stop in front of a wider area, illuminated from above by lanterns casting crimson light, where a merchant calls out to them with a wide grin. They’re swathed in iridescent fabrics, sitting on a makeshift throne of pillows on the sandy steps. They stand, approaching us with a swagger as they take a long puff from a pipe, then turn their face into an oversized fur collar to cough. 

“Ehh, now there’s a woman who looks like she knows what she wants!” 

Nadia was calm beside Zelda, unflinching as she looked at the merchant in question. “Yes I do know what I want. Are you offering it?”

They wave a hand, beckoning Nadia in closer. “‘Course I am. The Red Market’s got what everyone needs - they just might not know it yet.” 

Nadia cast an amused smile at Zelda as she allowed the merchant to take her hand with one of their own heavily jewelled ones. Their lips pressed to her knuckles, and then they led them into the menagerie, gesturing for them to sit on a rug piled high with silken pillows. 

“Very well, you’ve intrigued me.” Nadia sat first, and then pulled Zelda down to sit next to her, so close she could sprawl in her lap if she wanted. “What would you like to con me into purchasing today?”

The merchant laughed, a jolly sound that spread through their whole body, and they waved a hand. “Ahh, first we drink. To good health and good fortune, no?” 

They set three cups on the ground, pouring a fragrant liquid into them from a copper pot. Nadia took hers first, raising the cup to her lips, then paused and levelled the merchant with a steely gaze. They coughed and took a sip of their own cup first, and pleased with the action, Nadia took a sip as well. She made a small noise, then took another sip, peering down into the dark liquid within the cup. 

“Ah, made in the Prakran style? I haven’t had coffee like this in years. Thank you.” Zelda took a hesitant sip as Nadia spoke, then grimaced, deciding she did not like whatever this drink was as Nadia leaned forward to address the merchant. “Now then, I’m interested to hear your sales pitch.”

And then Nadia leaned over to whisper in Zelda’s ear, her words making Zelda clasp a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter. “Perhaps I shall also start collecting wildly ill-trained albino animals.”

The merchant seemed oblivious as they got to their feet, draining the last of the cup they’d poured for themself. “Ahh, hold a moment, I’ll go collect her…”

They shot Zelda a wink as they passed behind a pile of golden cages to a hall beyond her line of sight, where much of the animal sounds seemed to be coming from. Beside her, Nadia took a prim sip of her coffee, giving Zelda a searching look. 

“You’re awfully quiet, Zelda. Tell me, what are you thinking about?” She prompted gently, leaning her shoulder against Zelda’s. 

Zelda sighed heavily, running a hand through her hair and shaking her head. “I’m just worried about what happens if someone recognizes you. I doubt they’re going to be fond of your presence if we get caught.”

Nadia chuckled and elbowed her gently. “Why, Zelda, I am the one who does the catching. I assure you, we are in no danger here. What could or would they possibly do? I believe my presence would send them scampering into the woodwork, if anything. I’m aware I can be...intimidating, at times.”

She chuckled at that, and Nadia smiled when she saw her words had eased her tension. “Tell me, do I intimidate you?”

“Mmm….no. Not really. You did intimidate me at first, but not now that I’m getting to know you.” Zelda reached out and set a hand on Nadia’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze as the Countess laid a ring-clad hand over her own. 

“You are quickly becoming a dear friend, Zelda. It makes me happy to hear that. Though perhaps I need to try harder to maintain the image - I’m always up for a challenge.”

The pair refocused as footsteps announced the merchant’s return, falling back into outward calm. Still, she felt tense, but Zelda trusted Nadia’s judgement. The merchant reappeared looking pleased with themself as they ushered an animal towards them, tugging a golden leash to lead them out even as it hid behind the merchant in question.

“Now, this creature I have to offer you comes from the Northern climates. It is a ferocious beast in the wrong hands...but I wouldn’t offer her if I didn’t think you could handle it.” The merchant whistled, and the cheetah emerged from behind the merchant, sinewy muscles moving sleekly beneath sunset hued fur. The leash trailed loosely behind it as it settled at their feet, a token effort to give the illusion of control. 

Nadia watched for a long moment, taking in the movement of the creature. “Does she have a name?”

“Her past owner called her Sacha…” The merchant cleared their throat awkwardly, voice lowering on the second half of their words. “Before she tore his throat out, that is.”

Nadia leaned forward, staring the big cat in its eyes before offering it her hand. Sacha immediately bumped her nose into the outstretched palm, nuzzling into the touch with a loud purr. It made Nadia smirk slightly as she scratched under her chin, making the oversized kitten purr louder. 

“Truly, a fierce beast.” Nadia deadpanned. “I’m frightened by her bloodlust.”

Zelda snorted, but the merchant was stiff, as if Nadia’s bemused tone was a weapon she brandished. 

“She’s never done that…”

“Then she’s never met anyone worth respecting.” Nadia’s eyes narrowed at the merchant, then softened as she gazed at the cheetah once more. She snapped her fingers, and Sacha lowered her head, settling in front of their feet to lounge. “Go on, Zelda.”

Zelda stared blankly at her for a moment, then Nadia chuckled and gestured toward the cheetah that had draped its head over the tops of her shoes. 

“She shouldn’t bite. And if she does, well...your reflexes are quick, aren’t they?”

“That’s by no means reassuring.” Zelda muttered, staring down at the cheetah - which chirped when she lifted her head. 

Her eyes met Zelda’s, and she stiffened slightly, waiting as it felt like those fathomless eyes searched her soul. Sacha snuffled closer, sniffing Zelda’s hand, emboldening the magician when she set her head neatly on her knee. Slowly, Zelda ran her hands down the fur of her neck, marveling at the dense, soft fluff there. Nadia leaned in beside her and scratched behind Sacha’s ears - and Zelda couldn’t help but smile as Sacha melted into the touch from them both.

“Poor thing...you’re just touch starved, aren’t you?” Zelda murmured, watching Sacha lean in closer - and for a moment, thinking the cat nodded in answer. 

“Truly a magnificent creature.” Nadia mused, watching Sacha lean into Zelda’s hands from over her shoulder. “How she cranes her head for a simple touch, yet would just as happily snap your hand in two.”

Somehow, Zelda doubted even a wild animal would dare bite Nadia. Something told her she’d find a way to bite back. 

“I’ll take her.” Nadia said after a long moment, her hand falling back into Sacha’s fur. “I shall have my people contact yours about transfer of sale.”

The merchant’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “...an excellent choice. I’ll, er...set her aside then, shall I? Perhaps a woman of your tastes can also find something else among my wares - Sacha is only the beginning of what I have at hand.”

When Nadia nodded, the merchant relaxed further, gesturing with a sweeping arm toward the stacks of golden cages that disappeared as they continued past a stone wall. Wordlessly, the Countess got to her feet, offering her hand to Zelda to pull her up as well. With an arm draped around her shoulders, Nadia led her carefully into the menagerie as the merchant took up Sacha’s leash and led her back the way she’d come. 

Only when they were out of earshot did Zelda speak up, glancing back to make sure the merchant wasn’t listening in or coming up behind them. 

“Nadia...are you actually buying a cheetah?”

“No, of course not.” Nadia’s carefully schooled expression melted into one of disdain, a light sigh escaping her, but Zelda didn’t feel it was directed at her. “I’ll have her sent back to her homeland, spare her the headache of another poor master she must maim. Surely I have enough friends to take her place if I find myself lonely.”

Nadia sent her a cheeky wink, the pair rounding the corner to a cacophony of animal cries that made Zelda jump as one rattled the bars of its cage. They were all too small, too crowded, and the smell....

“This is cruel.” Zelda muttered, and Nadia nodded beside her, brows taut and shoulders stiff. 

“Immensely so. Come. I must speak to the Consul about disrupting this operation permanently, but for now...I will do what I can independently.”

Zelda followed Nadia deeper into the fray, digging in her bag for a bit of charcoal and a scrap of paper to quickly write down the animals Nadia intended to free then - most of them sick or in dire need of attention before being released as she wanted. The list quickly outgrew the bit of paper in her hand, and Nadia didn’t flinch before passing Zelda her handkerchief, prices and animal names listed together on the fabric in an attempt to manage it all. 

She only stopped when she walked past a shorter cage, dark and half shrouded by a large piece of fabric, carefully lifting it to check inside as Nadia moved ahead.

Zelda was met by a pair of soulful brown eyes, which flinched back at the sudden exposure to the light, but couldn’t move far even as the stag tried to squirm away from her. 

His rack had been splintered into pieces, his confines too short to allow him to stand or stretch without forcing them up into the bars, keeping a once magnificent creature curled on the cold metal base to waste away. Zelda doubted he was meant to stay for long - of all the animals she’d seen here thus far, they were predators, carnivores - and he likely was destined for someone else’s lunch.

“Poor thing.” She murmured, setting the handkerchief and charcoal aside to dig in her bag again. “You look like you haven’t seen the sun in ages…”

Zelda found the apple she had snagged before leaving the palace that morning, intending to eat it for breakfast, but she hadn’t the stomach - nor did she think she would for a while yet after this. Brushing it off on her sleeve, she carefully reached out, extending it on her open palm and waiting patiently as she knelt in front of the bars. 

The stag’s hunger outweighed its trepidation as it inched forward, stretching its head out as far as it could and nudging the apple off her palm before diving for the fruit that tumbled to the floor of its cage. Zelda couldn’t help but smile as it nosed at her palm for more, carefully stroking the soft skin of his nose before it pulled away again.

“You’ll be out of here soon, I promise.” She murmured, and though she knew she was perhaps projecting, she felt as if the stag turned one of those soulful eyes on her and regarded her with something more than curiosity. “You’ll see the sun again. None of you deserve to be locked up like this.”

The stag seemed to heave a sigh, then leaned its head into her palm, closing its eyes as it breathed in her scent. It only pulled away when Nadia approached, eyes blown wide in fright, and no amount of coaxing from Zelda would bring him back. So instead, she gave him space, turning back to the Countess with a determined look on her face. 

“This one, too."

“Done.” Nadia said, then chuckled at Zelda’s bewildered expression. “Did you expect me to disagree? Your friend needs help as much as the others. Write him down, and he shall be sent to the palace for care before we decide his course of action.”

With some semblance of relief, Zelda wrote on the handkerchief once more - then crouched down to whisper to the stag once more. She couldn’t explain why, but...she felt connected, somehow, and relieved that she could do at least do this much for him. 

“You’ll be home again soon.” She murmured, reaching a hand into the cage and touching two fingers to the tip of his nose. “No more of this.”

The gratitude in his eyes lingered in Zelda’s mind as she followed Nadia out from the rows and listened as she recited the lengthy list of the animals to the merchant whose eyes were quickly growing wider as Nadia’s purchase total grew. 

Not that she would end up transferring a cent to him. Nadia informed Zelda quietly, as they walked back toward the hatch, that she intended to send the guards to seize every one of the animals in question and bring them back to the palace. The Count’s menagerie was largely empty at that point, and until they could send them back to their homes appropriately, it would serve as a decent enough place to care for them in the meantime. 

They climbed out together, making their way back to the gondola in silence until they settled into their seats. It wouldn’t be until they reached the southern quarters that Nadia would speak, clearly trying to lighten the mood for the sake of the next part of their journey. They’d reached a fork in the canal, unfamiliar to Zelda, but clearly not so to the Countess herself. 

“I believe the old Temple Quarter is to the left...and the Shopping District to the right, yes.” Nadia hummed softly as the gondolier waited for instruction. “Where would you like to go?”

Zelda tapped a finger to her chin, mulling over the options as they floated at a snail’s pace with the current. “I think I remember the Shopping District…”

“Did you do much shopping in your past?” Nadia asked, indicating loosely to the gondolier, who followed her wordless instruction. Her voice took on a teasing lilt as they began to move, accompanied by a slight smirk playing at her lips. “Or are you perhaps hoping I might buy you another outfit?”

Zelda laughed, shaking her head as they traversed the canal, waving Nadia off with a smile. “Never, Nadia. I think you’ve already stuffed my wardrobe at the palace with more outfits than I could dare to dream before the Masquerade.”

But even as she spoke, she couldn’t ignore the sick smell of rot and decay that began to permeate the air. Water from the canal spilled into the cobblestone streets, then rose higher, swallowing the foundations of buildings as they traveled further in. 

“Is the entire district flooded?” Nadia murmured, shock clear on her face, and the gondolier spoke up without turning back. 

“Been like this since the Red Plague. The canal started swallowing the district up whole. They didn’t send any help when it started floodin’, they just...let the buildings go.” The gondolier shrugged and carried on, not batting an eye at the ruin around them. “Most everyone who lived here got out after the first storm hit. It was already flooding by then, but the water kept going higher and higher, and not everyone made it out in time to find a new home.”

“...I see.” Nadia was silent for a long moment, pulling her shawl a little closer to her face to try and conceal the anger that pulled at her features. But it was quickly replaced by determination, something Zelda admired in the Countess in that moment, as she assessed the damage around her. “This is not what I expected. We’ll need to shore up the canal walls...find a way to drain the excess water...very well. If you want something done well, you must take it upon yourself. I’ll handle this with or without them.”

“Them?” Zelda prompted gently, and Nadia sighed, shaking her head. 

“My courtiers. They claimed to have run the city in my absence...but I have and continue to fail to see what they have done in the way of leadership.” With a steely look in her eye, Nadia rolled her shoulders back and straightened in her seat, directing her attention to the gondolier. “I’m afraid our last stop shall not be a happy end to our tour...take us to the Lazaret.”

The Lazaret…

Zelda knew it had been an area of quarantine for those dying of the plague, and still cast a long shadow over Vesuvia even three years after the abrupt disappearance of the disease. Now it stood abandoned, waiting for the day it either fell to ruin...or, gods forbid, the day it was needed once more. 

The gondolier balked at Nadia’s words, turning to look over his shoulder at her with wide eyes and a shake of his head. “We don’t take our boats out that far. The land’s cursed.”

“All the more reason to visit, I should think. I need to see it for myself.”

With a long pause that made Zelda think that he would deny them again, the gondolier sighed, turning back to the water ahead. 

“...as milady wishes.”

They passed through the southern docks, further into the sea surrounding Vesuvia, right to the dark shores of the Lazaret. And as Zelda stepped onto the ash-covered beach, a thought plagued her mind, consuming everything else as her heart leapt into her throat and pounded in her ears. 

_ I’ve been here before. _

**_When_ ** _ was I here? _

Nadia tutted softly beside her, crouching down and scooping up a handful of sand, letting it glide smoothly between her fingers. “It’s all stained with ash…”

Zelda wasn’t entirely listening, taking a few steps forward into the dense foliage of the island. Somehow...somehow, it felt familiar. She didn’t realize she’d gotten so far until Nadia made a sound of shock, alarm clear in her voice as she called out to the magician.

“Zelda, where  _ are _ you going?”

She could see the wrought iron gate beneath the leaves, shadowed figures marching in somber procession as numbers were called and they filed through the gates. It was a sea of identical beaked masks, stark and bone white under heavy shrouds, save for one painted with flowers around the eyes that she could have sworn she recognized slipping through the gate - 

Nadia’s hand landed on Zelda’s shoulder, making her jump, the vision fading away as she turned to face the Countess with eyes blown wide. 

“Are you alright?” Nadia asked gently, glancing over Zelda’s shoulder to the foliage before them both. “What did you see?”

Slowly, ever so slowly, Zelda shook her head, opening her mouth to assure the Countess that it was nothing when a ghastly wail sounded from deep in the belly of the Lazaret’s towering structure. 

“Th-this island is cursed, it is!” The gondolier shrieked in answer, already pushing away from the beach as Zelda and Nadia turned back toward him. Another growl sounded, beckoning Zelda deeper into the bowels of the abandoned crematorium - and she began to follow the call, like a marionette on strings, a pull behind her navel drawing her in deeper to the foliage. She couldn’t have explained why she moved, but Nadia’s firm grip on her wrist drew her attention again, as did her voice making a desperate call for her to listen... 

“Zelda, stop! We have to go!”

...only for them both to turn and see the gondolier abandoning them to the island, and to the growing dark. 

They stood in the growing shadow of the Lazaret’s crumbling towers, alone on the shores as an uncaring sun set on the distant horizon. The feeble light remaining was swallowed by the clouds rolling in...and Zelda was finding it harder and harder to ignore the siren song calling to her from the depths of the island, begging her to venture deeper. 

“Well…” Nadia sighed, removing her scarf and instead draping it around her shoulders. “This is less than ideal.”

Then she rounded on Zelda, concern clear in her face even as her tone shifted to scolding. “What in the world were you doing, walking into the ruins like that? Cursed or not, that was absolutely reckless of you, especially in the dark.”

“I…” Zelda floundered, wringing her hands for a moment before she settled in an explanation that she knew made her sound insane. “I heard the island calling to me.”

A thick brow arched. “Calling to you?”

Zelda expected laughter, or some similar response, but Nadia shook her head slightly. “How curious. And what was it saying?”

“It...feels like there are answers here. I don’t know to what question, but...it still feels like that. Like if I wander, let my feet go where they want to, they’ll lead me into the shadows, like...somehow, I’m supposed to be here.” Zelda hadn’t stopped wringing her hands, pulling at the bracelet she wore, but Nadia gently laying a hand over her own made her pause and look up for the first time in a while. 

“Whatever this island wants from you, Zelda, it shall not have it today. It is curious what you describe, but...thank you, for your honesty.” Nadia smiled reassuringly, something Zelda tried to echo even if she didn’t necessarily feel it. “Most would try to spare me the worry, but I would rather worry than remain ignorant. Closing one’s eyes does not work for long.”

The sky grew ever darker overhead, threatening to swallow them up in the black of the night, and Nadia shook her head. 

“Well then. There is no bridge to this island. Unless we find a boat, we are unfortunately trapped.” The Countess set one hand on her hip, then extended the other arm to Zelda. “I, for one, refuse to wait for an unlikely salvation. Come, we’ll search along the shore.”

Together, they picked along the sand, grit sticking to their shoes and turning greasy with the ash that coated everything on the island. The wind rose like whispers in the leaves, and Zelda - feeling as though she was beginning to reach paranoia - couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched from the rotting towers surrounding them. Nadia’s voice was a welcome relief in the silence, breaking her away from her fears and giving her something else to focus on. 

“I had not realized how much House Vesuvia has failed this city. There is still much work to be done…” Nadia’s face pinched in distaste. “I wonder at the court’s behavior these past years. It has become apparent they accomplished nothing in my absence. Such incompetence…”

“I may not be their biggest fan, Nadia, but I think you’re underestimating them.”

“Underestimating?” Nadia echoed, and Zelda nodded before she nearly tripped over a root. She stumbled, smiling sheepishly as Nadia helped her upright, but continued nonetheless. 

“They don’t strike me as the most capable bunch, and I certainly can’t imagine them in a flattering light, but I don’t know how deep those waters run. And no offense, Nadia, but you may not either - people can change a lot in three years. Do you think you know them well?”

“...no. I suppose I don’t. I’ve seen only what they chose to show me, and I have done much the same.” Nadia let out a breath and nodded toward Zelda. “You are right. I shouldn’t assume. There could be a reason beyond incompetence for their complacency. Well, that shall be no more - if they hide their true faces from me, I shall unmask them. Starting with Vlastomil at our meeting tomorrow.”

Her face lightened then, and she gave Zelda a squeeze where their arms were looped together. “Perhaps I have underestimated you as well, Zelda. Even in these few short days I have known you, you prove your worth time and time again. I shouldn’t rely on you too much, and yet…”

Nadia trailed off, eyes fixed on a point on the beach ahead. “Do tell me that is a boat.”

Zelda followed her gaze to a swatch of foliage that overflowed onto a rotten pier, and beside it...a beached boat, almost pristine against the shores. 

They rushed to it, running hands over its surface to search for any less visible holes, and Nadia beamed as they both realized how lucky they were. 

“And seemingly in working order.” She marveled. “How fortuitous.”

Nadia gestured for Zelda to lift one side of the boat as she did the same, and together - uncaring of the way the water soaked through their clothes as they waded out into the water. Mercifully, the boat bobbed atop the rocky sea, waiting to ferry them across. 

“No leaks. Well, then, Zelda...shall we?”

With a nod, the pair climbed into the boat - and as Zelda lifted her oar, she couldn’t help but cast her gaze over her shoulder toward the towers of the Lazaret, where she could have sworn she saw glowing eyes blinking blinking from the darkness. 

By the time they returned to the southern docks, hands frozen and fingers becoming uncooperative for all the time they spent rowing, Portia was mercifully waiting for them - apparently the gondolier had gone to find someone else to retrieve them after being too spooked to go back himself - and seemed just about to swim to the island herself had they not shown up when they did. The handmaiden must have rolled out of bed at the news - she was in a frilly pink nightgown rather than her uniform - but still seemed absolutely determined to make sure they made it back safely. 

They were swept back to the palace before they had time to fret about catching cold, and Nadia barely managed an invitation to dinner before the Countess and the magician were swept in different directions and plunked into hot baths to warm up. Zelda, quite frankly, didn’t want to leave, but she was eventually coaxed out of the water and into a fluffy robe before Portia came to bring her back to her room. 

“Well, I heard from milady that you did a lot today - I think you’re learning there’s never a dull moment around here.” Portia chuckled, making Zelda smile as the redhead threw open the bedroom curtains and locked the door behind them both. 

Zelda perched on the edge of her bed as the handmaiden rifled through her wardrobe, finding something comfortable to wear that would still be appropriate for dinner. 

“I think milady wants to be casual as well - she asked for dinner to be served on the veranda. I’d have thought you two would be sick of being outside, but it’s certainly much warmer away from the water...ah, here we go.”

Portia pulled out a cozy set of flannel pajamas, light cream in color with tiny pale green polka dots, and extended them to Zelda with a smile. “I think something cozy is in order. And don’t worry, the Countess will be in her nightwear, too. And I am, but that’s obvious. We thought maybe we could have a pajama party of sorts, just...be friends, if that’s alright.”

Zelda smiled, getting to her feet and accepting the folded pajamas from Portia, then reached out and gave her hand a squeeze.

“Of course, Portia. I’d love that. Let me just…”

“Oh, right! Of course! I’ll just turn around…” Portia snickered as she slapped her hands over her eyes, making Zelda laugh as she quickly shed the robe and tugged on the pajamas in question. Only as she buttoned the top did she let her eyes wander around the room, gaze caught by movement over the door that made her stomach drop. 

Inching along the doorframe was Faust, tongue flicking wildly in the open air. Zelda swallowed and tried not to stare, but it didn’t work, as Portia gave her an odd look when she turned at Zelda’s silence. 

“Hey, are you alright? What are you -” Portia let out a small shriek at the sight of Faust over the doorway, the snake in turn dropping to the floor in shock and slither-dashing into the hallway. Portia whipped around, grabbing Zelda’s arm with panic on her face. “Did you see that? Did you see that snake?  _ Tell me you saw that snake! _ What if it gets into the mousery?”

Portia bolted down the hall like a bat out of hell, and Zelda hastily buttoned the rest of her shirt before dashing after her barefoot. She moved with remarkable speed, and though Zelda was keeping up, it wasn’t at all an easy task. 

“Okay, which way did it go?” Portia screeched to a halt at an intersection, Zelda nearly crashing into her as red curls bounced with each wild turn of her head. “Zelda, did you see it? I am  _ not _ good with snakes, but there’s no way I’m gonna let it - ah! There!” 

Portia pointed down the hall, and they just managed to see a wildly wriggling tail whip around the corner at the end of the hall. She took off again, and it was all Zelda could do to keep up with her. 

“It’s headed for the garden! We’ll never find it out there - oh gods, the birds! Oh, they’re not bred for combat, they don’t stand a chance!” The redhead’s fair face went white as she considered the hundreds of rare birds warbling in the gardens outside, but before she could work herself into another frenzy, Zelda grabbed her arm and blurted out the only words that came to mind. 

“She doesn’t eat birds.” 

For a moment, Portia seemed confused, but then it seemed to dawn on her as she let out a deep breath through her nose. She pressed her palms together, then gave Zelda an exhausted look, both of them panting slightly from the unanticipated run they’d just gone on. 

“Is that... _ your _ snake, Zelda?”

Zelda smiled sheepishly, pulling wet hair over her shoulder and twisting it in both hands. “Her name is Faust.”

“Right...Faust.” Portia shook her head, running a hand through her curls in a gesture that reminded Zelda of Julian, then managed a smile. “Well...if we can find her, I’d still like to make sure she doesn’t get to the mousery.”

“Yeah, fair, she does like mice.” Zelda chuckled, stepping into the hall where Faust had disappeared previously and calling out. “Faust? You can come out, sweetheart, Portia was just...surprised! Yeah, we’ll go with that.”

_ Friend? _

Zelda smiled at Faust’s quiet voice, knowing she was nearby, even if she couldn’t see her. “Yes, Portia is a friend. I promise you can come out. Where are you?”

_ Up! _

Without ceremony, Faust dropped from the high beams overhead right as Zelda looked up, making her scramble to catch the serpent before she hit the floor or otherwise hurt herself. Portia let out a startled gasp, but seemed to relax as Faust wound her way around Zelda’s shoulders, then tucked herself under Zelda’s collar to warm herself up when Zelda’s hair was deemed too wet to do that on its own. 

“Portia, meet Faust.” Zelda said once she turned, the snake’s head poking out and bobbing slightly at the edge of her collar. “Faust, meet Portia.”

_ Fluffy hair... _

Zelda smiled slightly, then looked at Portia, who just seemed to be more lost than she was before. “She likes your hair.”

“Oh!” Portia patted her curls, then hesitantly reached out and ran a finger over Faust’s outstretched head. “Thank you, I like your...scales.”

After a few moments, Portia cleared her throat awkwardly as Zelda grinned, gesturing to the hall ahead. “So, dinner?”

When they stepped onto the veranda, Nadia stood peacefully at the balustrade, gazing out over the gardens as she waited for them to join her. She looked cozy - though Zelda found some amusement in the fact that her pajamas seemed to be made of something like silk - and was barefoot, shoes discarded under the table. 

When she turned, she smiled, taking in Zelda’s pajamas - then doing a double take at the serpent that had fashioned herself as a sort of accessory. Nadia chuckled, reaching out and extending a hand to Faust as the familiar in question stretched her neck out curiously. 

“I most certainly did not put this in your drawers. Might I ask where you happened to get her from?”

Zelda smiled as Faust nosed at Nadia’s fingers, intrigue clear in the back of her mind. “Faust is my - Asra’s, actually. He left her to keep me company until he came home from his latest journey. I’m not sure how he met her, but he’s had her for as long as I can remember.”

“Such a lovely morph.” Nadia scratched Faust a moment longer under her chin before she pulled away, gesturing to the low table - absolutely packed with dishes and delicacies - and the plush cushions placed around it on the floor. “Well, shall we?”

Together, the four of them sat at the table, nearly immediately falling into easy chatter as they worked their way through the elaborate yet somehow casual meal between them. It started out 

“So...Zelda, I’ve been meaning to ask - you’ve lived in Vesuvia for a pretty long time, right?” Portia asked between sips of wine - making a face at the first one before going back for another. “What was the last Masquerade like? I didn’t live here back then

Zelda paused at that, her eyes flicking toward Nadia in silent question. She knew Nadia’s secret, and she knew Portia was her closest attendant, but...she wasn’t sure if she could trust her with that. But Nadia nodded discreetly, as if to assure her that Portia knew and was a worthy confidant, so Zelda decided to take the chance. 

“...I don’t remember.” Zelda admitted slowly, making Portia pause and look at her closely. “I’m...missing a lot of memories. Pretty much entirely before three years ago, so...after the last Masquerade as well. You and I are in the same boat for this one.”

Portia seemed to mull that over for a moment before she nodded and downed the rest of her wine. 

“Right. Well, sorry in advance, Nadia, but I am now determined to wreak havoc upon the Masquerade to ensure Zelda and I have one to remember. I know I work the beginning, but the end of the night is fair game.”

Nadia snorted into her teacup, bemusement clear on her face. “I have no doubt. Just make sure the dresses you’ll be wearing survive the night, or we’ll have to replan the rest of your wardrobe for the rest of the week to accommodate.”

“The rest of the week?” Zelda echoed, and with a nod, Nadia began to explain. 

“The Masquerade traditionally was a celebration of Lucio’s birthday. The opening event, on his birthday itself, is the Masquerade ball. The rest of the week after is a series of smaller celebrations and events meant to honor him, but we’ll be using that time to celebrate the citizens and the city itself. I simply hope to bring back some joy to the city after its years of hardship.”

Zelda nodded slowly, then gave Nadia a perplexed look that made her chuckle. “And you...want me there?”

“You’re my guest, Zelda, and if nothing else I would like you to enjoy the party as one of the citizens of Vesuvia. I took on your wardrobe because I know the seamstresses in town are overflowing with orders, and I have several at hand. Consider it a gift - or a gratitude in advance in addition to your payment for your services.”

Before Zelda could gather her words and properly thank Nadia, the doors to the veranda burst open, sending Faust diving down the front of Zelda’s shirt and Portia swearing as her knee slammed into the underside of the table. Nadia was the only one who seemed entirely unmoved, raising a brow at the chamberlain who practically fell through the doors. 

The chamberlain straightened, then adjusted their befeathered cap, clasping their hands in front of themselves and bowed at a speed that nearly gave Zelda whiplash as she turned to look. The hall inside was hard for her to see, but her heart fluttered a little at the sight of a second familiar feather plume pinned into the brim of a hat.

“A million pardons for the interruption, Countess, but you have a visitor. Would you be willing to receive them?”

Nadia lowered her teacup, brows furrowing. “At this hour? I had a feeling the day was not yet done...very well. Send them out.”

“Yes, milady!” The chamberlain turned on their heel and gestured broadly to the guest as they removed their broad brimmed hat and held it against their chest. “Announcing the arrival of the magician, Asra.”

Before they’d finished speaking, Zelda was two seconds away from launching herself at him - unable to help herself at the sight of those of so familiar violet eyes and the smile that made its way onto Asra’s face as he met her gaze. But she held back, waiting as Nadia addressed him with a smile that for some reason spelled trouble. 

“Asra...how I’ve longed to put a face to that name.” Nadia mused, and Asra’s brow raised. 

“My name? What’s a magician’s name to you, Countess?”

Nadia glanced slyly toward Zelda, and though she hadn’t thought she’d said too much about Asra, she had a feeling she’d said just enough for Nadia to pick up that something was there. 

“I suppose it was curiosity. After all, Zelda seems quite fond when she speaks of you. You are quite younger than I imagined. You’re her age, are you not?”

“I am. We’ve studied together for quite a while.” Asra shrugged, tugging on the brim of his hat between his fingers. “I must say, Countess, you’re even more magnificent than I remember.”

“Remember?” Nadia asked, her brows lifting in surprise, but Asra continued with a relaxed smile. 

“I was a lot younger when you came to town,” he explained, “A face in the crowd at your arrival all those years ago. What a twist of fate that we should meet again. I’ll try to make a lasting impression.”

Asra’s warm gaze shifted back to Zelda’s and her cheeks flushed deeply at his words as he addressed the Countess again. “That being said...I hope you’ll forgive me if this is out of line.”

He didn’t wait for an answer before he took the few long strides to meet Zelda, throwing his arms around her and squeezing her close as she smoothed her hands up his back. Faust happily slipped from her collar, curling around Asra and delving into his sash as Zelda placed a featherlight kiss to his cheek. To her, it felt like her heart was singing, the feeling overflowing and making her chest thrumm all the way out to her fingertips as she clutched the back of his shirt. They stood together for a long, long moment, only broken when Zelda leaned up to whisper a few words in his ear. 

“Welcome home, Asra.”

Asra leaned back, giving her a warm smile as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, but they nearly jumped apart when Nadia cleared her throat quietly and gave them a teasing look. 

“I see you missed each other. How sweet.” She mused, and Zelda only needed to look at the absolutely devious expression on Portia’s face to know they were thinking about the exact same thing. “She’s been the most entertaining guest.”

Asra chuckled and released Zelda, but when Nadia gestured for them both to sit again, didn’t stray from Zelda’s side - laying a hand gently on her knee as if he didn’t want to let her go.    
  
“Never a dull moment with Zelda. Seems that wherever she goes, chaos follows.”

Zelda stuck her tongue out at him, and he mirrored her expression, making her laugh as she leaned into him and shook her head. “Like you don’t cause trouble yourself. I learned the worst of it from you.”

Asra rolled his eyes playfully, but redirected his attention to Nadia once they settled atop the cushions. “I have no doubt she’s doing important work for you, Countess, but I was hoping to take Zelda out for the day. We have some business to attend to, but I won’t keep her away from the manhunt for long.”

“Just as well, I have a meeting tomorrow with one of my courtiers.” Nadia waved a hand, clearly unbothered by her departure. “I’ll have a room prepared for you. Surely you’ve had a long journey, and I cannot in good conscience send you away at this hour. Do enjoy the day, you two, I’ll send for you if I have any new leads.”

Zelda nodded, glancing toward Asra - face heating as she realized he was already looking at her. 

“Of course, Nadia. Would you mind if we…?”

With a barely concealed smirk, Nadia waved her off, Portia’s mischievous look growing all the more intense. “Go ahead. I will see you tomorrow, Zelda, rest well.”

With her hand in Asra’s, they slipped off the veranda and into the grand hall. It felt...strange, really walking side by side with him when he felt so at ease. It felt like a dream - so much so that Zelda discreetly pinched her arm to make sure. 

But once they were out of earshot, Asra swept her off her feet, spinning them both and making Zelda squeal with laughter that echoed through the empty hall. 

“Asra, Asra, you’re going to drop me!” She laughed, gripping tightly onto his shoulders until he set her down. Both of them were flushed, smiles broad, and they were pressed close to each other even as her feet settled on the cold marble floors. 

“I missed you, Zelda.” He said, still grinning as Zelda tried and failed to finger comb her still drying hair. “I didn’t think the Countess would appreciate me doing that in front of her, so I waited.” 

“Mm, well, I wouldn’t have minded.” Zelda smiled as she took his hand again, tugging him down the hall. “Come on, my room is this way. You’re gonna love the bed, it’s like sleeping on a cloud.”

Asra groaned as he sank into the mattress, clad in a set of pajamas similar to her own in cut, but the shirt still only half buttoned in his usual fashion as Zelda climbed into bed next to him. 

“Gods, you’re right, this is like a cloud.” He muttered, laying an arm over his eyes. “Change of plans, we’re staying here tomorrow, and I’m going to find a way to smuggle this mattress back to the shop.”

Zelda snorted as she rolled into his side, lifting her head when he shifted his arm to rest beneath it. “I think theft is still a crime, Asra.”

“So is not getting a bed like this for our room.”

With a laugh, Zelda smacked his chest lightly, which made him chuckle and turn his gaze toward her again. Zelda’s lips parted to say something, but Asra’s hand laid over hers on his chest, enough so that she could feel the steady beating of his heart under her fingertips as he spoke softly to her. 

“The palace has been treating you well. Nadia certainly seems to like you.” His face flushed pink as he squeezed her hand lightly. “I thought I might take you out to get breakfast tomorrow, but after the delicacies they’ve probably been feeding you up here...pumpkin bread seems rather underwhelming.”

Zelda snorted, shaking her head slightly. “Don’t dismiss Selasi’s pumpkin bread like that. You know me, Asra, I love the simple things - and I could never pass up on the chance to pop by the bakery. I’d eat my weight in bread if I wouldn’t suffer the consequences for it.”

Asra chuckled at that, his hand traveling loosely down her arm where it laid over his chest. He was quiet for a long moment, his thumb slowly rubbing back and forth across her arm as Zelda yawned and let her eyes begin to lazily slip shut. 

“Long day?” He murmured, and Zelda laughed softly, nodding as she rubbed at one eye. 

“Yeah...I went on a tour around town with Nadia earlier.”

Zelda began to recount the events of the day - choosing to hold back on sharing too much about the Lazaret, because she wasn’t sure what to make of it herself - and though Asra certainly seemed extremely concerned they’d gotten stuck there, he seemed to pick up on her reluctance to talk much about it. So instead they circled slowly back to the topic of the Red Market, one of the few places it seemed Asra had never been to in Vesuvia. And inevitably...her mind came back to the big brown eyes of that stag, hopefully now in the care of those who could help. 

“...if you’d seen him, Asra, you’d have been horrified.” She murmured, feeling his fingers pass through her hair as he brushed it back from her face. “Poor thing was nearly skin and bones...they’re such beautiful creatures, and to see him reduced to that…”

“Maybe we can check on him tomorrow.” Asra murmured, giving Zelda a reassuring smile. “See if there’s anything we can do to help. I know you’ve got quite the stash of healing supplies at the shop, we can always bring them up here if they need them.”

Zelda nodded, reaching out and idly playing with a button on his shirt. “I’d like that. I don’t know why, but...out of all of them, I can’t get him out of my head. He...spoke to me, almost, like I could look into his eyes and I knew exactly what he was thinking.”

Asra paused then, pushing himself up on one arm and looking down at Zelda as he mulled over her words.

“Did you give him something?” He asked eventually, something of a smile growing on his face when Zelda nodded. “I don’t think you’re imagining that feeling, Zel.”

“You don’t?” She echoed, and Asra shook his head, sitting upright beside her. 

“No, that sounds very much like what I felt like before Faust and I made our bond ‘official’.” Zelda sat up as he spoke, the serpent in question slithering onto the bed at mention of her name. “I’ve told you I raised her from a hatchling, so we’ve always been close, but...even before she became my familiar, I could feel that connection. Like I could look at her and know exactly what she was thinking, even without words.”

Zelda wrapped her arms around her knees, listening as he reached out to pick up Faust from the comforter. “And giving him something?”

“The thing about familiars is that they have to choose to accept the bond when you create it. Often a magician will give an animal something - food, gifts, trinkets, so on and so forth - to earn their trust before any sort of ritual can occur to bind them to one another permanently. And when you gave him something…”

“...he chose to trust me.” Zelda finished, then frowned. “Would he really have trusted me that quickly?”

“Given the situation he’s in? I wouldn’t be surprised.” Asra reached out and set his hand on her knee to give it a squeeze. “You’ve always been attuned to the natural world, Zelda - and stags are heavily reliant on instinct. If he trusted you, he saw something in you  _ worth _ trusting.”

Zelda was quiet for a few moments, only pulled from her reverie when Asra reached out and smoothed a thumb over the crease between her brows. 

“Hey...don’t stress. We’ll check on him tomorrow, and we’ll test that theory a little more. You’ve had a long day, and we are in the world’s most comfortable bed. I think tonight is for some rest.”

The brunette smiled a little and nodded, letting Asra pull her back into the bed and helping pull the covers over them both. The lights went out, and Asra wordlessly lifted his arm, waiting expectantly for her to move in closer as she usually did, but - she hesitated for a long, long moment. Curling up together when they settled in for bed wasn’t uncommon, but now, given his proximity after being away...Zelda suddenly was very aware of what had happened between them at the oasis. 

A part of her, prodding at her brain when she thought too hard, made her think it could have been a dream. She desperately wanted the oasis to have been real, for that kiss to have been real, but it also wouldn’t have been the first time she dreamt of something like that. Rolling her lip between her teeth, Zelda carefully moved closer, but kept her hands tucked close to her chest as he idly stroked a hand through her hair and let the other arm drape around her waist. 

She had no idea how long they laid there, but she’d thought Asra had fallen asleep until she flinched from biting her lip too hard. It startled her, but more so when Asra’s thumb landed on her lip, and a light tingle of magic passed through it to smooth away the small cut there. 

“You’re thinking awfully hard for someone who should be resting.” He teased quietly. “What’s on your mind?”

“...it’s nothing.” Zelda said eventually, twirling a piece of hair around her finger as she tried to close her eyes to sleep. “Just something silly.”

Asra chuckled, squeezing her shoulder as he leaned back slightly to look at her. “I feel like silly is pretty normal for us by now. Remember the time you turned yourself blue trying to make a blueberry scented bubble bath?”

She groaned, burying her face in her hands, but she couldn’t keep back the snort of laughter that escaped her lips while Asra giggled. “I looked like a blueberry myself. Gods, that was a mess. I still don’t know how you made me less blue.”

“Encouragement for you to not do it again.” Asra’s chuckles died down, and he leaned in to press a kiss to the top of her head. “Come on, I doubt it’s sillier than that - and in your defense, that was your first try. How can you learn if you don’t -”

“Ask the question, I know. First rule of learning.” Sighing, she reached out, smoothing back a curl of his hair where it fell into his eyes. Just mustering up the words made her feel like her stomach was full of butterflies, focusing anywhere but the intensity of his gaze. “I just...Asra, was the oasis real? I’ve been so mixed up, thinking it might have been a dream, but it was so vivid that I can’t imagine how it could have been anything but reality.”

For a long moment, Asra was quiet, quiet enough to make her think that it really was just an elaborate and crazy dream. Zelda’s face warmed, and she was about two seconds from blurting out an apology before Asra cut in with a question of his own.

“What do you  _ want _ it to be, Zelda?”

Zelda’s face somehow grew impossibly hotter as his hand cradled her cheek, drawing her eyes up to meet his in the darkness. His searching gaze made the words come tumbling out, so quickly she couldn’t have stopped them if she wanted to.

“I want it to be real. Gods, Asra, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it before - never so many colors, never so many stars, never anything so  _ beautiful _ .” Zelda turned her face into his hand, laying hers over his and kissing his palm reverently as her voice cracked. “But what I want most...I want that kiss to have been real, so we can find out what that means for us, but only if you want that too.”

Asra moved then, the hand on her cheek moving up to cradle the back of her neck and weave fingers into her hair. She could almost feel the heat of his own blush even if she couldn’t see it well, but the intensity of his gaze held her, his other hand settled lightly on her waist. She picked at the edge of his shirt as her eyes flickered toward his lips - wondering if he’d stolen her lip balm again - before finding his eyes through fluttering white lashes. 

In that moment, Zelda realized how easy it was to fall under his spell - it was so easy to become enchanted by him, so natural just to lean forward ever so slightly…

When her lips met his again, she nearly melted into a puddle at the sheer gentleness of this kiss. She returned it fully, her hands grasping onto the front of his shirt and clutching it tightly as he deepened the kiss ever so slightly. Asra let out a breath as they parted, leaning his forehead against hers. Zelda rubbed her nose lightly against his, and when she was this close...she could see the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he gave her the sweetest smile she’d ever seen. 

“I’d like that very much.” He murmured, closing his eyes as Zelda’s hands slid up his chest to gently cup his cheeks. “Because everything that you just described to me is so very real.”

Zelda smiled as he leaned back a little more, feeling a slight weight climb across the blankets before Faust butted her nose against her cheek. 

_ Zelda kiss Asra! _ Faust whispered, looking conspiratorially between them both as her tongue darted into the air.  _ Asra kiss Zelda! _

“And now I kiss Faust.” She declared, grinning and kissing the top of Faust’s head before she wriggled down into the blankets to curl up for the night. Asra let out an amused snort as he watched her slither down to the foot of the bed beneath the quilt, creating a neat little lump off to the side where Faust knew she wouldn’t accidentally get kicked. 

“Spoiled.” Asra muttered, and Zelda laughed, leaning in and pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek before she settled in to sleep beside him. 

“Goodnight, Asra.”

“Goodnight, Zelda. Sweet dreams.”

Perhaps she didn’t look too comfortable - her face sandwiched against his chest, arms thrown around his waist, legs tangled together, his face buried in her hair - but she’d never felt lighter, nor more at home than she did knowing that her dreams would be of sweet kisses that tasted like vanilla lip balm. 

She’d let him keep it for a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure I've mentioned this before, but since these updates take me a while - you can find shorter writing set in the Arcana universe on my tumblr, @valhallanrose. 
> 
> Thank you for all your support and I wish you a happy holiday. <3


End file.
